A New Hunter
by Legair
Summary: I'M BACK!- What's the worst that can happen, when it happens to a huntress? Sorry I suck at summaries. I'll try to update on a Bi-Monthly basis. P.S. Still looking for a BETA-READER & I NEED MORE REVIEWS, PLLEEEAAAASSSSSEEEEEE!
1. The Discovery

A NEW HUNTER:

THE DISCOVERY

By Legair

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own the Predators, Aliens or Gargoyles concepts. I'm just borrowing them but the characters herein are mine. Nor am I receiving monetary gains of any kind. Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are constructive, of course. With that said, please read and enjoy.

_**PROLOGUE**_

The hive was established long ago when the Yautja's only Hard Meat seeding ship carrying a Hard Meat Queen and several eggs crash landed on a nearby planet. The Queen though mortally wounded was able to escape the ship. The Queen, knowing her time was at hand, searched among the hunters of her kind for a female host. Because the last egg she would lay would be more than a Queen. She would be a Queen of other Queens, but she needed a female host to ensure complete success. Finally she found the last unclaimed female host whose legs were damaged beneath a container and sacrificed the embryo carrier in favor of the queen egg she was already forming within her. After shoving the container to the side she drug the host over and secured her to the wall in her temporary lair and new dwelling for her offspring. Then she proceeded to lay her final egg as she felt death begin its creeping advance on her body. After laboring for hours the dying Queen laid her last egg and positioned it directly in front of the screeching and roaring host.

Hours later the Queen could hear the birth pangs of the last of her children. Ignoring their calls and blocking their attempts to find her, she observed them and knew that the new hive would be well prepared. There were sets of all the necessary classes; Runners, Drones, Warriors, Royal Guards, and the King. She sensed when the egg bloomed and felt the face hugger attach itself to the host and begin its only task, to impregnate the host.

The fading Queen knew when the embryo carrier died, its life purpose completed. The Queen knowing her time was fast approaching used the last of her strength to call the others, giving them a link to begin their travels to the newly established hive. Already confident that by the time they arrived the new Queen will have emerged from the host and begun to grow. As the old Queen died and her body stiffened in death she gave a last dying roar.

It was a roar against hunters foolish enough to try and hunt this new Queen. A roar declaring that their kind would live on even after her death.

_**GRIEF AND DISCOVERY**_

Centuries later and a star system away.

The weird spiny creature felt something wrong with its environment, the usual sounds of other creatures went silent. But as it peered around warily, it saw nothing. It took a suspicious half step backward and sideways. If someone had looked they would have seen an empty grove and the creature sniffing at the air. If that same someone had thought to look up they would have seen a shimmer in the air at the split crotch of a tree. And most would have dismissed it as a heat wave rising from the ground, until it was too late, as the creature found out as suddenly it was pinned to the ground and its life blood gushing out of its body.

With a nearly silent crackle of electricity the heat shimmer revealed itself to be a hunter. Upon a second look the hunter turned out to be female, the uncloaked huntress watched as the animal played out its death throes and died from the wound. _'Hah, Bre'ktrohl you are Kwei! Think you can fool me?' _she thought to herself remembering her first time hunting the carnivorous animal, and she threw a nearby tree Naxa at the mortally wounded animal watching as it screeched and performed a thrashing motion sending its entire compliment of poisonous quills into everything nearby. Its movements were so great and violent that quite a few were sent flying into the air. The huntress had to duck as a few of them shot in her direction. When she looked up she saw that the _Bre'ktrohl _had stopped trashing and was now safe to approach. She pulled her spear out of the ground and grabbed it by the jaw and pulled it off the spear. She gave her weapon a sharp shake to get most of the blood off, then retracted and hooked it behind her.

As she crouched down to begin the skinning process she noticed it was still too quiet, usually when the hunter's have made their kill the normal rhythm of sounds and life continue. But this time it stayed quiet, as the huntress stood up she looked around. _'Something is wrong!'_ she thought when she looked up and saw smoke rising to the sky. She dropped her latest catch and raced off with feelings of apprehension. As the huntress ran back to the dwelling's she found others crowding around the area of her dwelling. With her mate away on a hunting trip a tendril of fear wormed its unfamiliar way into her heart.

"Oh _Paya_, let it be some fool _Yautja_ that got himself killed by my dwelling." She pleaded as she pushed her way through the crowd heedless of who was in her way. She continued forward only to be met by her sibling who barred her way at the entrance of her burned dwelling.

"Move _Mei'hswei_, get out of my way!" the huntress growled at her in a panic, heedless of her sibling'_s _rank in the clan since their sire's death.

"_Cro'dei-tha_, you do not want to enter your dwelling." Barked the High Elderess as she went to grab her sibling and steer her away.

"No!" Cro'dei-tha snarled flexing her lower mandible's in the face of her sibling. "This is my dwelling when my mate is away. And I will enter if I so see fit. Now move!" and with that she forced her way into the smoky dwelling only to stop dead in her tracks.

"NNNOOoo!"

The High Elderess closed her eyes and allowed her lower mandibles to hang limp. The next instant the body of a Ge'tah came flying out and moments later was followed by an enraged, grieving Cro'dei-tha, who was fully armed and armored. Everyone with sense immediately fled her sight knowing that if anyone stood in her path she would cut them down without a second's hesitation.

"_Cro'dei-tha_! Think about what you are doing. Our Honored Sire did not teach us to allow anger to cloud our judgement." The High Elderess stated calmly. The only one daring enough to block her siblings path, as half a dozen Ge'tah exited the burnt dwelling bearing the bodies of a young offspring barely out of puphood and another female.

"_Rjet_ judgement, that _H'ulij-bpe_ piece of excrement will be _Thei-de _by dawn. He murdered my first born and our cousin. Just for daring to enter my dwelling he deserves to die in the most painful of ways." Cro'dei-tha shrieked at the High Elderess drawing gasps from any yautja still in the area. No one has ever dared to talk back to the clan's High Elderessmuch less shriek. The last Warrior to dare talk back had been killed by her bare hands and the foolish male had been armed and armored which did not save him.

"I am well aware that he murdered your first born and our cousin. And for this loss I do grieve, and I will not deny your right to avenge your honor against the _Ve'nde-thwei_. But do so with a clear mind. Remember, just because they have lost all reason and honor does not mean that those without honor are not without wiles." The Elderess growled harshly.

"This assassination was designed to attack not only your honor but _Setg'in-kre't_ and mine as well. He killed our family, _Thei-de'ragt_ and your pup by _Setg'in-kre't _to show disrespect to our honor, to shame us, to goad us into acting without thought. To show that just because we are _Yautja_ with power and authority, that we are not invulnerable. That we are as any other, and this is true, for no _Yautja_ save _Paya_ and the _Guan-paya _is truly invulnerable. I just ask that you do not go after him now when it is most likely a trap." The Elderess snarled back trying to make her sister see reason and most importantly to calm her down

"I don't care!" Cro'dei-tha snarled trying to sidestep the Clan's High Elderess only to be blocked again.

"Well I do. There are only three left of our sire's original line." The Elderess roared gripping her arm. "You have not heard, our _Mei'hswei__,_ _Gre'atoh_ and _Guan'dtou-di_ have fallen to assassination. But not before sending a double score of _Ve'nde-thwei _before them to meet _Guan-paya_. Their youngest offspring have been secured in my dwelling and the oldest warriors have been notified. Our sire's line is being killed off. I don't want you to die in a trap at the hands of a _Ve'nde-thwei_."

"Then stay out of my way and let me do what I must to correct this attack on our honor." Cro'dei-tha growled.

"No! Not now, but eventually I will." The Elderess temporized. "I swear to you on my own personal honor that you will be allowed to hunt this _Ve'nde-thwei_ and any that align with him. But it will be at a time I decree."

"You swear, High Elderess?" Cro'dei-tha demanded with a hiss as she eyed her sibling.

"In _thwei_, I so swear now, here in front of these honored _Yautja_. And should I break this vow may all my accomplishments be stripped from me as well as my life." The Elderess swore as she drew her dagger and sliced her forearm. Eyeing the bleeding cut and the spectators around them Cro'dei-tha nodded with a sigh of acceptance.

"I can do no other than accept your vow High Elderess." She stated sullenly.

"Good. When I release you to your hunt, swear to me that you will not waver nor fail in your task" The High Elderess added.

"I so swear in _thwei _and on my honor." Cro'dei-tha swore as she cut her own forearm and ritually sealed the oath by gripping the forearm of her sibling mingling their blood. "High Elderess I ask your leave to go hunting on the _Pyode Amedha _planet. I cannot remain here and do nothing." Cro'dei-tha asked as she watched the High Elderess respectfully. "It is too much of a temptation for my grieving heart."

"Your request is granted, keep in touch _Mei'hswei_." The High Elderess told her as she nodded her head in understanding.

The next day Cro'dei-tha charted her ship to the Soft Meat hunting planet which was the fifth planetoid from the Sol system's main star. Her sister, Thei-deGuan the Clan's High Elderess had granted her special request, solitary hunting. In truth she had no choice, a grieving bearer was not someone any sane Yautja wanted to be around. At one moment they could be mourning then the next they would be plowing through a whole room of Yautja with no regards to rank, honor or sex. No, a bearer in mourning was a very dangerous female to be around, especially one who had been dishonored by Ve'nde-thwei. Cro'dei-tha left the piloting seat to prepare her sleeping pod for the two Dre'eks journey. After checking everything twice she entered her pod and dreamed of her vengeance.

Three Month's and a few hours later on Earth...

Cro'dei-tha stared at the darkening sky before shrieking her loss and fury when she heard something. Immediately cloaking herself she investigated the noise and found nothing, all she could hear was the sounds of human weapons fire hitting stone. She thought it was some human that had managed to see her and started shooting their puny weapons at her.

"When I find the _Ooman _that is shooting at me, I'm going to rip their spine out while they breathe." she growled. Jumping to the higher part of the roof for a better viewing vantage she found no heat signatures. All she saw was the halo like heat signatures fading from the stone ornaments. Still hearing the sounds of gunfire she looked to her left, switching vision modes from heat to motion, then from motion to x-ray.

"Nothing" then she looked right hitting heat mode again. "Noth...what the _Cho't_?!" She saw a red heat signature coming from the center of a stone statue. "Impossible!" She switched to motion and she saw cracks appearing in striations then switched to x-ray and saw a skeleton forming within the stone-figure. It was faint at first but as the sun disappeared below the horizon it became more defined. Switching back to heat she saw that the red heat bloom immediately burst into white internal fire. Stepping back unsure of what to expect Cro'dei-tha set her mask's imager and recorder to record for future study and watched as the heat bloom began to move throughout the body warming the rest that was giving off quickly fading shimmers of heat collected during the day. Then, with a swift movement the creature burst out of the stone skin with a mighty roar. Cro'dei-tha's eyes widened and her jaw opened as her mandibles flexed as wide as they could in shock as she watched it stretch. If she had not been crouched she would have fallen down from surprise and from the flying stone-chip debris.

'_This creature is huge, nearly three Puads high!' _There was no yautja she knew that tall, though she had heard stories of a few that reached that height, and it was more massive than any male she knew, even her own mate. As she took in the details of the stone-like creature come to life, Tail, wing structures, horns; not only on the head but on the knees and elbows, a tail, four fingers and three toes, her memory flashed to a time when she was just a pup and listening to her grandsire tell tales that he had heard when he was just a pup. And how he had found old recorded texts of creatures of stone that existed only at night and were very good hunting prey and were only hunted as a preview to the Hard Meat Trial. Even when her grandsire showed her and all her siblings the ancient recordings she still did not believe. After all they were only stories.

"But...those creatures are all extinct!" she hissed to herself. "According to the Ancient texts, humans hunted them and slaughtered them in their sleep. Long ago before her grandsire's time his clan had hunted these creatures in preparation for the Hard Meat Trial...these legendary Warriors of Stone were mostly a large and fierce species ranging from two to three meters in -height and in rare exceptions were no larger than the average human of a meter and a half. They had wings of various types and configurations some feathered, most not, various spikes and horns, all had claws and tails. They were intelligent, territorial, and as strong as any yautja and all of them were reported to be extremely fierce. And according to the still existing recorded histories they supposedly turned to stone during the day!" She'd scoffed at the legends believing that the warriors were merely suffering from delusions brought about from being in space too long. But now she believed! But she also knew that such beings were supposed to be extinct.

'_There are NONE left! None have ever reported having seen a being such as this Paya-deTjau'ke'_ she thought in shock. But...there it was, in all its living glory. _'Wait...it's jumping off the building is it mad?' _Then she saw it come right back up, it was gliding in the air! _'C'jit! That's right the ancient texts say they can glide through the air.' _Cro'dei-tha sent a signal to her shuttle to begin sending everything she recorded in micro bursts of communication to the clan's High Elderess. As she watched the large warrior of stone seemed to float on a gust of wind and performed a myriad of aerial calisthenics designed to keep his wings in shape. Then she watched him perform a series of physical exercises and combat movements. Ending with a roar and smashing his fist through the center of a statue he had moved earlier to his exercise area.

'_About Pauk'de time it's been a quarter of a planetary rotation. And yet with all that training and exercise his heat level stayed steady as if this was just a warm-up. Well, steady until he destroyed the Tjau'ke figure then it swelled, mainly from anger. By Paya I want to hunt him, he'd make a very excellent trophy.'_ She thought as she admired the thermal images the warrior of stone generated and switched to x-ray mode to view his skeletal structure again as she considered the additional honor it would bring her and her clan for having brought his skull as a trophy and then sighed. _'But if he's the last of his kind then it's forbidden.'_

She watched as he finished his raw meal, wash the juices from his mouth and hands and take off into the sky as she followed jumping from rooftop to rooftop. It soon became clear he was not just wandering in circles but making sure he was not being followed.

"So he does have a destination in mind and is not simply wandering. Hah! You won't lose me so easily." She clicked to herself as she continued to play follow the leader.

She found herself crouched down on the building watching as the warrior of stone landed on one opposite hers and waited, soon a fat human female showed up. The warrior of stone and the female hugged one another.

"What is going on, they're from two very different species and yet they are showing displays of affection." _'I wonder, could they be mates?'_ She wondered as she increased the image zoom option and the sound to capture what was said on the recorder. She did not worry about what was said knowing that her sibling would contact one of the clans that had an human slave or servant and have that human act as a translator and then send back the translations later.

"**Lilith, oh my love how have you been? Is everything okay?"** she noticed the large warrior sounded anxious.

'_He's so pitiful, just like my mate Setg'in-kre't trying to assure himself of my health after I've returned from a hunt.'_Cro'dei-tha thought to herself as she remembered her mate.

"**Relax we're fine nothing happened today, but are you sure the child will be born this week? I have a new job interview next month and they won't take a pregnant woman." **Cro'dei-tha heard her say soothingly then watched as the two matched facial parts for several minutes until the female jerked back and held her stomach.

Increasing the zoom and sound as far as it would go Cro'dei-tha examined the female's abdomen. _'Well C'jit on me, she's not fat but with pup and the pup has the same triple beat as the Paya-Tjau'ke. How odd there is a shell like covering enclosing the child within her. I wonder if that is normal for either species.'_ She thought to herself as she studied the pair. As she observed the pair she noticed that the female's heat signature was nearly similar to her mates. And that her skeleton was denser than any human she had hunted before.

"**Yes my love, tomorrow marks seven and a half months so the egg should come out sometime this week or. . ."** he hesitated

"**Or what?"** the female demanded.

"**Or the egg **_**could**_** stay within you for another six years."** her large mate chuckled

"**That's not funny Kizahra!!!! I barely tolerated not being able to work for this long. I absolutely refuse to stay home barefoot and pregnant for another six years with these aches and pains. You better pray that this child comes out soon or you won't get sex from me ever!"** the female threatened poking a finger into the chest of the male as he hung his head.

"**I'm sorry my love. And I pray to the Dragon that our child will come out soon. I don't think I can live without your favors."** The male said using soothing tones.

"**That's right you better pray or else you get nothing not even half-ways."** She chuckled as she hugged her mate again. Then she added as an afterthought **"You know it was those favors that got us in this situation, so as soon as this kid is out no more sex ever!"**

"**But, but that's not fair."** The male gasped out in mock horror clutching his chest dramatically. Then dropped to his knees and spoke to her stomach.

"**Listen little one you have to come out soon. You have turned your mother into a cruel and unjust woman."** He spoke directly to her large stomach.

"**Oh you silly thing, I don't think I could survive a night without those favors, so you have nothing to worry about." **Laughed the female as she watched her mate talking to her stomach.

Later that night after having left the pair to their activities, and returning from a little light hunting she settled down to listen to the translations and couldn't help but burble in laughter.

"So even the mighty _Paya-deTjau'ke _is susceptible to the withholding of pleasures." She smiled as her mandibles tightened against her face and arched upward as she thought about how similar this human female seemed to be in comparison to yautja females. She was still smiling when she received a micro burst message from her sibling.

"_**Honored Huntress Cro'dei-tha, the Ooman female we have translating your recording's assures us that regular pregnant Ooman females such as L'lth do not have such shell like enclosures within them around the pup. She believes it is from the Paya-deTjau'ke K'za-rah. I have messaged every clan's High Elderess asking them to have all their record's searched for any mention of creatures that existed with similar descriptions as this Paya-deTjau'ke."**_

The next day came and Cro'dei-tha rushed to the human female's dwelling scanning the building looking for the familiar heat signature, hoping to see the laying of the egg produced from the mating of a warrior of stone and a human, but she sighed as she saw the female waddle along still looking fat.

"Perhaps the _Ooman _will have the egg come nightfall." She muttered to herself backing up to go do a little hunting as the female began to slowly look around the room in a suspicious manner.

Two days had passed by and the egg had still not made an appearance and the human female was seriously pissed off. Cro'dei-tha watched as one night in the midst of dinner the female suddenly heaped verbal abuse upon her mate. The next morning when she arrived clutching to the building side she had to duck her head as an ornament came crashing through the window nearly hitting her in the face. Cro'dei-tha watched shocked as the female literally upended the sitting and sleeping structure humans called a sofa bed while screaming with rage. She saw as the female jerked her head this way and that looking around.

"**I know you're there, whoever or whatever you are and now is not the time. I am not in the mood for. . . your. . . watching. . . GAMES." **The female shrieked.

'_Perhaps it would be better if I moved back to the opposite dwelling.' _She thought as she saw the female begin throwing things again and this time her hands wrapped around another ornament. A statuette she had watched the warrior carving from a block of wood. And soon enough out flew the ornament which Cro'dei-tha immediately caught as it came speeding out the window with the female shouting.

"**Kizahra, I hate you. You did this to me!" **The next moment Cro'dei-tha heard the female wailing as she realized she had thrown her mate's gift.

"**NNOo! What have I done? I didn't mean it. Oh Kizahra will never forgive me."**

'_This is interesting'_ Cro'dei-tha thought as she studied the ornament. _'It looks like the Paya-Tjau'ke.' _She watched as the female dressed herself and obviously went to search the streets below for remains of the ornament. The moment the female closed the door she carefully entered the dwelling through the broken window and placed the ornament onto the nearest table in the room. As soon as she exited the dwelling and leapt back to the opposite building the female came back in tears. Until she found the ornament on the table.

"**Oh thank the god's. I don't know who you are but thank you."**

Later that night Cro'dei-tha spotted the Paya-deTjau'keas he came winging his way to the window clinging to the wall before slowly entering and being berated by his mate until she began to gasp and clutch at her abdomen as she grimaced in pain.

"**It's okay my love we were prepared for this." **He was saying as he unfolded the bed and laid her in it and went about getting the warm water and clean cloths. Over the next several hours Cro'dei-tha watched as the female shouted what were obscenities at her mate while pushing the egg out of her body.

'_If the birthing of pups for Oomans is anything like the birthing of pups for us yautja, she must be cursing him to every unimaginable and unspeakable agony in existence.'_ She thought chuckling to herself at the warrior's predicament. She paid closer attention when the winged warrior shouted out loud.

"**By the Dragon it's an egg**." He had carefully picked up the egg and was showing it to his mate.

**"Does, does this mean the child will be a gargoyle? And will we have to wait ten years for he or she to hatch?"** the female asked as she panted from the effort.

"**I do not know, my love, this is new territory for the both of us. We should know in a few hours if it hardens like I remember eggs should. That may signify that the child is more gargoyle than human, but if it stays semi-soft then that could mean it is more human than gargoyle. But we will have to be very careful. I think it is a good time for you to describe to me what this ultrasound machine is so I can find one at the nearest hospital and bring it here and we can look after the egg." **The male said as he gently placed the egg in a blanket laden basket and brought it closer to his mate.

**"I don't like the thought of you stealing. And beside I'll be able to _borrow_ one when I go for my yearly check up." **The female yawned. **"And I can tell you that laying an egg still hurts even if my body has become more like your female gargoyles. Feeling my hips and pelvic bone dislocating was an uncomfortable feeling. Are the females always this sore afterward?" **asked the female before falling deep asleep.

'_So this part of the myth of Paya-deTjau'ke is true. They do come from eggs.'_ She thought to herself then used her x-ray to look within the egg. _'Ah this little one looks like its bearer and has no wings or tail but looks to have some bone features of the sire.' _Over the next week Cro'dei-tha watched as the human's health and sleek figure returned to what was normal as she began to exercise. Then one evening the female was talking quickly and excitedly to her mate who hugged her and kissed her.

'_Obviously she was accepted for the job "as a pup guardian" the ooman translator told me she was attempting to be assigned to.' _Cro'dei-tha mused.

"**Kizahra when can we go back to sparring?"** the female asked as they moved off to check the egg which had gotten a little firmer and was still as large as a watermelon but was still soft to the touch.

"**When do you start your new job?"** he asked inspecting the egg for any blemishes.

**"They want me to start in two weeks."** The female watched her mate. **"Is everything alright?"**she asked. Both Cro'dei-tha and the warrior noted the thread of concern in her voice.

"**Everything is fine so far. And I think we can start the sparring the next night. We want you to be at your best, to impress them." **He answered as he stood up and hugged the human female. When Cro'dei-tha managed to sneak into the dwelling during the day when the warrior was asleep and the female was at work, she found that it felt just like the egg of a Setj'in, kind of leathery and supple.

The next day she couldn't wait for the sun to set to see this hand-to-hand between the mates. When she got to the building rooftop opposite of them she expected to see mats and padding like the human translator told her, but what she saw was a battlefield. And for a moment she thought that things had gone terribly wrong, for the hand-to-hand seemed to have devolved into a full blown battle. She watched helplessly as they were fighting, which anyone could have mistaken, seeing as how when she found them the male had just gripped the leg of the tall female with his tail and viciously slammed her into the wall where she grunted in pain. She immediately launched herself back at the large male with a quick combination of punches and furious kicks which caused the big male to grunt in surprise. After a moment of watching there was a sound which she had learned to identify as the humans portable communications device calling for attention. After a while of continuous noise it stopped and then started again. Which brought the fighting pair to a sweaty halt and it was only then that she realized that they were simply having an incredibly violent hand-to-hand to tell from the bruises both sported. Surprisingly neither sported any major injuries, it seemed to Cro'dei-tha that their bodies had hardened themselves to the violent exercise, merely leaving them breathing heavy.

Intrigued she cautiously made her way closer, having learned that somehow the pair seemed able to sense when she was nearby, and amplified the sound on her recorder.

"**Yeah. Adam this better be important, you know I don't like to be disturbed on my day off. And especially when I'm sparring." **The female barked with hostility into the device radiating heat from her head indicating anger, obviously her mate discerned the same for he approached softly yet swiftly and twined his arms around her until she stiffened and quickly looked around. This promptly made the warrior look around warily, forcing Cro'dei-tha to freeze in her tracks and creep backwards behind the nearest cover. Exposing her head she continued to record.

"**What happened to David, it's his work day? Oh, well tell them congratulations. Yeah ok Adam, when does he need me to watch Jason? Alright give me an hour to change and be on my way." **The female turned off the device and turned to her mate.

"**Beloved it's here again watching, whatever or whoever it is knows about you and more importantly about us and our egg**." She said holding onto him.

"**I know my love, I can feel it as well but I do not see it." **He answered in return.

"**I just can't pinpoint where it is watching from, when I look around I don't see anything all I see are shimmers of heat." **The female said as she looked directly across the building rooftop in her direction. She saw the male suddenly straighten from the hug.

"**What did you say?"** the male asked as he slowly moved her behind him moving backwards into the building rooftop entrance.

**"I just said that I see heat shimmers. Kizahra what's wrong, I've never seen you this pale before?"** she asked as she tried unsuccessfully to talk to him face to face only to be thrust back behind him while he scanned the area more thoroughly. But by this time _Cro'dei-tha_ was already on their building holding onto the antenna top

**"Go back to your apartment, go to work and be safe."** He told her. **"I'll see you tonight to talk. I must think, there's something buried in my memory I need to dig out. Hide the egg before you leave, put it in the safe if you must." **He said as he felt it was safe enough to turn to her and watch her retreat further into the building. Then he closed the flimsy entrance and took one last look around and leapt into the air and flew away.

Two nights later Cro'dei-tha found out that such hand to hand practices went on for hours after sunset and long into the night. And she found it interesting that they could take such punishing throws and bone jarring blows. She found her herself deep in thought. '_I wonder just how well they would fit into yautja society. They certainly were physical enough.'_

Another week passed and Cro'dei-tha began to itch and strain at the restrictions, of monitoring only, placed on her by her clan's High Elderess.

"_Pauk_ I want to see how good they really are, my skin burns with wanting to pit my strength and skill against theirs. And as disturbing as the thought is I know that if they were _yautja, _I would have already challenged the female to mating rights with the male." She grumbled to herself one day having already grown so accustomed to the winged warrior and the human female that their features no longer disturbed her. Then three days later everything went wrong as she began to find more human bodies than she was responsible for. If it were just strong males or the occasional strong female that would not have bothered her. What sent her warning signals was that the bodies were a large mixture of children, weak females and the elderly. She immediately sent a micro-burst communication of her suspicions. And went to watch over the warrior and his female mate. But she had run out of luck and arrived to witness as the warrior landed in an ambush, between a yautja holding his mate and another unseen collaborator. She immediately saw the triple targeting beam settle onto the back of the head of the warrior and immediately shot a bolt of energized plasma from her shoulder cannon at the concealed bad-blood killing the hidden accomplice far more quickly than he deserved. _'You have lived too long without honor as a Tarei'hasan, so now have you died without honor' _she thought in satisfaction bringing a pause to the confrontation as she decloaked herself bringing a rattle of rage from the remaining bad-blood and a nod of thanks from the warrior Kizahra as they watched the hidden killer fall over in death.

Cro'dei-tha and Kizahra both gasped in horror as they watched the yautja spear the battered and defenseless female through the back with his gauntlet blades. And just carelessly toss her body as if she were a piece of garbage. She took a long look at the yautja male and saw that his mask's clan symbol identified him as a member of the Guan-kre'ta the only clan of bad-bloods. It only took her a moment to scan the female's body to check for life already knowing it was too late even before the murdering honorless scum spoke to insult her. She could see the heart beat but it was starting to slow and the body heat was also slowly fading away. Cro'dei-tha knew that within a handful of minutes this unique human would be dead and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

To Be Continued… in A New Hunter: The Collision.

Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are **_constructive_**, of course.

And remember, **"Payas leitjin-de . . . Hma'mi-de"**.


	2. The Collision

A NEW HUNTER:

THE COLLISION

By Legair

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own the Predators, Aliens or Gargoyles concepts. I'm just borrowing them but the characters herein are mine. Nor am I receiving monetary gains of any kind. Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are constructive, of course. With that said, please read and enjoy.

**_THE COLLISION_**

Cro'dei-tha and Kizahra both gasped in horror as they watched the yautja spear the battered and defenseless female through the back with his gauntlet blades. And just carelessly toss her body as if she were a piece of garbage. She took a long look at the yautja male and saw that his mask's clan symbol identified him as a member of the Guan-kre'ta the only clan of bad-bloods. It only took her a moment to scan the female's body to check for life already knowing it was too late even before the murdering honorless scum spoke to insult her. She could see the heart beat but it was starting to slow and the body heat was also slowly fading away. Cro'dei-tha knew that within a handful of minutes this unique human would be dead and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"The filthy thing is _Thei-de_ you stupid _Gru'pkna Lou-dte kalei_." Momentarily ignoring him she frantically searched for the egg until she found it.

Realizing that the female must have sensed that the Ve'nde-thwei were somewhere nearby and that they meant her harm she must have hidden the egg. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found it and seeing that it was safe and unharmed she shrieked and strode to the male to confront him in battle and kill him if she could, only to be stopped by the roar from Kizahra.

"**Murderer!"** he roared after looking at his mate and seeing the blood spreading on her body knowing she was dead.

She was stunned by the speed at which he immediately flung himself at the Ve'nde-thwei, eye's glowing with heat as bright as the sun. Allowing Kizahra to regain his honor she walked to the female and noted the bruised fists of the Ooman and the splashes of yautja blood, on the taloned fingers, obviously coming from the third Thei-de male on the rooftop and the bruises on the body of the yautja she herself had just killed and felt a surge of pride toward the female that not only had she fought back but killed at least one of them and damaged another, even in as small a way as leaving bruises. Cro'dei-tha knew that the female had been no easy prey.

She watched as the Kwei cloaked himself thinking to taunt Kizahra and deliver death quickly while invisible. Only to be shocked when Kizahra caught the attempted strike. And delivering a powerful blow to the facemask denting the metal and sending the invisible attacker flying against the wall, where Kizahra promptly leapt atop the stunned Ve'nde-thwei and promptly crushed the Ki'cti-pa that controlled the cloaking device and bomb. And smashing the shoulder cannon as well.

'_Incredible, somehow the glowing heat from his eyes allows him to see through the cloak. I do believe that the Guan-paya will be coming for this Ve'nde-thwei soon.' _Thought Cro'dei-tha with grim satisfaction as she watched the two fighters going like Paya and Guan-paya fighting the first war. She winced when the honorless piece of C'jit seemed to have had enough of being pummeled and began to use his arsenal to try and kill the enraged Kizahra.

"**Coward!" **Kizahra roared as he made no attempt to dodge most of the weapon attacks. **"You would use weapons on an unarmed opponent, you have no honor. You are nothing but a coward and a coward's death is what you shall have."**

As Kizahra charged he received multiple cuts from the swinging Ki'its-pa. Ignoring the bleeding wounds he threw the Ve'nde-thwei backward who turned the throw into a flip landing on his feet. In the next second the Ve'nde-thwei was swinging the Ki'its-pa at such speeds it was a blur. And again Kizahra rushed him. But when the he thrust forward with deadly accuracy intending to cleave the heart in two, he received a shock. Much to his surprise Kizahra caught it right behind the wickedly barbed tip. He then immediately used his tail to swat the Ve'nde-thwei away. As the Ve'nde-thwei stood he received a second shock as Kizahra tossed the Ki'its-pa at his feet. It was bent in half. Broken! He had broken the Ki'its-pa! Using brute force to do what yautja needed a laser or a smart disc to do.

Snarling in fury the Ve'nde-thwei unsheathed his Ki'cte-pablades and rattled at Kizahra as they ran toward one another until they collided like two juggernauts. He roared and launched himself at the yautja pummeling him heedless of the slicing blades as they carved his flesh and finally the dazed yautja managed to kick Kizahra away. Both the Ve'nde-thwei and Kizahra growled as they ran yet again toward one another until they collided like two youngbloods in a duel to the death. Kizahra and the yautja roared as they grappled, each pitting their strength against the other. Each trying to make thier kill while preventing the other from killing.

For a moment Cro'dei-tha thought they were evenly locked, but little by little the winged warrior's righteous rage allowed him to exert more force on the yautja pushing and bending him backward. Shrieking in desperate defiance and denial the Ve'nde-thwei suddenly leaned his head back and smashed it forward. Right into the face of Kizahra, who roared but didn't let go. Suddenly the bullwhip like tail snapped around and up between them, smashing the under jaw and bottom of the Ve'nde-thwei's mask up and back. And at that exact moment the Ve'nde-thwei squealed when the force Kizahra was applying wrenched his shoulders out of joint a second before muscles, tendons and the bones themselves gave way and broke with a wet tearing sound. Kizahra dropped the Ve'nde-thwei like so much refuse. But as he turned away he used his bullwhip tail to deliver a blow to the damaged facemask, Cro'dei-tha watched in amazement as it buckled under the pressure with a crack and hot blood began seeping from beneath its metal surface just before it split apart revealing the collapsed cranial plate of the Thei-de yautja just before the body toppled boneless to the floor.

She went and retrieved the basket like container with the egg within it. She saw it and still couldn't believe it, Kizahra defeated and killed the Ve'nde-thwei in a Thei-de Jehdin/Jehdin. The rooftop showed the damage and was littered with the broken or crushed remains of the Ki'its-pa, the Ki'cti-pa, the smart disc, the shredded net and the demolished net gun, even the Naginata was destroyed. She had watched as Kizahra suffered numerous mortal wounds and yet during the heat of battle caught in the grips of maddening rage he had ignored all wounds to achieve his goal, the death of his mate's murderer. And yet she still could not believe it. As she watched him walk back to her and his egg she offered him the egg and her mask so he could see that the baby was fine. She silently watched as he tenderly caressed the egg and used her mask to look at it. The moment he began speaking she began recording. He stopped for a moment so she went to remove the heads of the unknown Ve'nde-thwei.

When she came back she motioned to his wounds knowing that if he didn't get them treated he would die well before sunrise, when his ability to turn into Tjau'ke would heal him. But he snarled at her shaking his head, passing his egg and her mask back to her. He then painfully and gently held his mate then motioned from his mouth to her then from her to his egg. Then wrapped his mate in his tattered wings.

'_He wants me to tell his pup something from him when he hatches. He knows he will die soon, he wishes to go with his mate.'_ She understood needing no translation.

"**There are ancient legends passed down through the clans..."**He started as he watched the female hunter and hoped that she would honor his request to pass down his message to his unhatched pup. He could see through her strange mask that the child would hatch without wing and tail and part of his heart grieved that his child would never know the joys of gliding in the wind or of winding its tail with that of its mate. But the other half was happy that his child would live on. Cro'dei-thatook the egg and positioned it on her lap as she sat in vigil near the dying Kizahra as she recorded the message he was leaving for his only offspring. Then the moment came she switched her mask back into the dual modes of Ooman and Thermal and watched as Kizahra holding his mate in his arms died with honor.

But what surprised her even more while she recorded the event was that as death slowly took the heat and Kre'ta of life, turning his body from living flesh to Tjau'ke, It was also doing the same to the Ooman who's heart still beat if faintly and who's body still had the glow of life. Finally the thermal side of the eyelet showed nothing but the blackness of Thei-de and cold Tjau'ke.

The next moment Cro'dei-tha activated her communications link to her shuttle and received a microburst communication.

"_**Greeting's once again Honored Huntress, I received your communications. Your last message intrigued me, I know that you would never be careless as to let prey know before hand that you were there. So this ability of theirs to sense that you are nearby is interesting. The visiting clan leader, his Ooman mate and I are anxious to meet this pair. So I charge you with looking after this mated pair and protecting them from the Ve'nde-thwei until our arrival. Continue to monitor, intervene only if their lives are in danger. His species must somehow be preserved...."**_

The communications droned on as _Cro'dei-tha _swore as many epitaphs as she could think of.

"Oh _Pauk-de Cho't! Rjet Ve'nde-thwei_. May _Tihm-shi _birth in the innards of all honorless _Ve'nde-thwei_." When she finally gained control of herself she realized her mask was still recording and sending to her Mei'hswei.

"Ah _C'jit_!" she muttered as she made sure the last few hours were sent and shut down the recording devices. Then remembered the last part of the communications before she had blown her top.

"_**....We begin preparations for their journey to meet you. They will leave in the morning when the triple suns peek over the horizons."**_

"_Paya_ give me strength." She groaned hissing as she called up her shuttle and input the co-ordinates to her location and returned to stare at the statue. Then as she thought of a message to send she flipped on her recorder sending it to her shuttle to send by microburst to her Mei'hswei.

"Greeting's High Elderess. I have received your communications, unfortunately a trio of _Ve'nde-thwei _showed up. By the time I arrived the situation was unsalvageable, I was only able to witness as the leader of the trio killed the _Ooman _female. I brought justice to the second of the group while the _Paya-Tjau'ke_ _K'za-rah_ challenged the leader as was his right. The only thing I managed to save of their legacy from being destroyed was the egg. I found that the _Ooman _female _L'lth _had managed to kill one of them before being subdued. Her mate landed on the leader like he was _Paya_ himself and engaged in _Jehdin/Jehdin_ battle. The _Ve'nde-thwei _being honorless when he discovered that he was going to lose to the enraged _Paya-Tjau'ke_**,** inflicted numerous mortal wounds using his entire arsenal. After killing the second _Ve'nde-thwei_ myself, I checked the female and the egg, confirming the bearer was truly _Dhi'ki-de _and the egg unharmed, _K'za-rah_ was in the process of killing the third and last _Kwei _piece of honorless _C'jit_. In the end he chose to reject my assistance, having avenged his mate he chose to die with honor and his mate in his arms. I now have in my possession the egg produced from their mating. I am also securing all evidence of the battle and disposing of the corpses of the _Ve'nde-thwei_ save the heads for identification. I will bring the statue aboard the shuttle and stay cloaked in orbit at these co-ordinates."

She finished and sent the co-ordinates. The first thing she did when the shuttle arrived was secure the egg in her sleeping chamber while she figured out how to get the statues aboard the shuttle. Two hours later sweaty and exhausted, _Cro'dei-tha _staggered to her sleeping chamber and unsheathed her Ki'cti-pa when for a moment the egg looked like the pod that contain the first stage of _Kainde Amedha _then shook her head muttering aloud.

"Peace _Cro'dei-tha _remember it is just the egg of _K'za-rah _and the _L'lth_." Moving the egg into the chest at the end of her bed and for the first time, since the murder of her first pup and her cousin, fell into a peaceful sleep. The next day she woke with nausea. None of the medication she took stemmed the illness. Everyday she went out and hunted the most violent Oomans and on occasions she recalled moments of her observation of L'lth who had mated to Kizahra. Like how the first time she went to see them in a _Jehdin/Jehdin_. Which anyone could have made exact mistake seeing as how there was none of the usual signals indicating that they were having a _Jehdin/Jehdin_.

As a month went by, her attitude worsened, she was angry all the time she felt bloated for some strange reason. And she began to feel discomfort in her breasts and ankles and her fingers also looked fat as if she were gaining weight. It enraged her when she couldn't figure why she was exhibiting these symptoms. The only time she found herself at peace was when she held the egg.

Finally disgusted with herself and having had enough of her mood swings she sent the ship into orbit and prepared her hibernation pod, with the egg secured in a stasis chamber in the small medi-center, she slept awaiting the time when the others would meet her and perhaps they would help her figure out what was wrong with her.

A _Dre'ek_ later,

Cro'dei-tha woke up enraged. She felt bloated, her ankles felt big, her fingers were fat and she was pissed that someone dared to awaken her. She shrieked and swung a taloned hand at the first yautja she saw not caring who it was. Which luckily for everyone it turned out to be her very own mate and not the physician or the Ooman mate to the clan leader of another clan, who stood beside her. As she levered herself out of the pod the yautja and his ooman mate took a discreet step back while covering their chuckles with fits of coughing, as Cro'dei'tha's mate gave a high pitched warbling designed to soothe but all it did was irritate her.

"_Ki'cte_!" Growled Cro'dei-tha then turned to the others.

"What the _Pauk_ are you fools laughing at?" she snarled flaring her top mandibles.

"Alright, all males out now!" barked another female obviously her clan's newest physician. As she watched the males exit the room leaving only the females.

"Something is wrong with me I am having severe mood swings, I feel bloated though I'm as trim as ever, my ankles and fingers feel fat and I will not go into the parts that ache all the time." she grumbled looking around sullenly. She was slightly mollified when the Ooman female promptly stopped her chuckling.

"Our pardon Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_, it's just that you are exhibiting signs of pregnancy and yet you are not pregnant. The Honored Huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ tells me that _Oomans _call these symptoms sympathetic pregnancy. Your body is reacting as if you were with pup. And progressing through the stages of pup bearing." the physician coughed.

"WHAT?!" shrieked Cro'dei-tha as her eyes widened and all her mandibles flared out of control.

"What the _Cho't_ are you talking about." She snarled.

"It's true Honored _Cro'dei-tha_, the physician will no doubt find that your hormone levels will match those of when you were truly with pup." Elizabeth answered.

"No. That's not possible there has never been any record of such events occurring to yautja females." Cro'dei-tha vehemently denied. As the physician took blood samples and ran them through the computer.

"Honored _Cro'dei-tha_, I don't understand it myself, but what Huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ has spoken is true your hormone levels do match and indicate that you are indeed with pup or at least _you seem _to be since you have not had any contact with any male yautja in the last half year." The physician confirmed as Cro'dei-tha stared at them speechless. Then seemed to snap out of her trance.

"Of course I've not had any contact with any yautja, much less a male yautja and I would not touch an honorless _Ve'nde-thwei_ any more than you would let one of them get you with pup." She snapped bringing a gasp and a growl to the physician's throat.

"Now tell me more about this sympathetic pregnancy and how to stop it." She demanded as she walked out of the room to her chambers.

"After studying the egg in the medi-center, we found that it is emitting pheromones which are causing chemical and hormonal changes in those exposed to it. Such as feeling's of euphoria and contentment, it also affects aggression, the subject is calm while in contact with the egg but while away the aggression hormone steadily increases." answered the physician eyeing Cro'dei-tha for any signs of threatening behavior.

"Fine. Now tell me how to neutralize the pheromone induced reactions." Cro'dei-tha demanded as she changed her cloth coverings for leather and armor.

"Uh. . . to. . . neutralize. . ." the physician stalled glancing at Elizabeth beside her.

"Well speak up." Barked Cro'dei-tha irritably.

"You will not like what I have to say, but what the esteemed physician is trying to say is that there are three solutions and none of which you will like. There is but only one true way for you to neutralize the pheromones." Elizabeth spoke up for the physician.

"I will determine my options and choices. Now tell me." Cro'dei-tha growled.

Sighing Elizabeth continued

"Option one and the best one and only true choice is for you to care for the egg until it hatches."

"No! Absolutely not have you gone _Kwei_? I will not play nursemaid for nearly half a score of years to an egg from a crossbreeding species." Snarled Cro'dei-tha.

"I see." Cro'dei-tha could tell the Ooman was getting annoyed but didn't care.

"The second option which is not a choice and is out of the question, is for you to destroy the egg and the unique being within it."

"I can not and will not do that, it would destroy my honor and mean my _Thei-de_ for disobeying the High Elderess." Cro'dei-tha gasped. "What is the third and final option? I will decide my choices." She growled not liking where the conversation was going.

"Well you won't like it but here it is. The third and final option is for someone else to care for the egg and the being inside." Eli'silb-e'th finished grimly and stepped back when Cro'dei-tha immediately popped her Ki'cti-pa blades and growled menacingly at them.

"No one will take that egg from me." She snarled flexing her mandible in threatening gestures.

"Why not? You obviously do not wish to care for it. Why should not another who is willing?" Elizabeth barked aloud frustrated with Cro'dei-tha. Controlling her anger she continued softly admitting something she had no intention of ever speaking about.

"And I would not mind I. . . I am a purposeless mate. I cannot bear the pups _Thwei-grat'ka _craves. I do not begrudge him yautja mates but he refuses. He acts as it does not matter that should he die his legacy, all his knowledge will die with him. But I do care, and yet I see no way around this trap. Except my death, this would finally free him to have yautja mates. I look upon the other yautja _Bearers_ with envy, for having pups of my own has become an obsession. And even if I were not the mate of _Thwei-grat'ka_, there are no other _Oomans_ of worth and honor for me to mate with." She stepped closer to Cro'dei-tha invading her space.

"Now tell me. Tell me why another cannot care for the egg and the pup in your stead?" she stared at Cro'dei-tha daring her to lie to her and herself.

Realizing that Eli'silb-e'th spoke the truth from her heart, Cro'dei-tha could do no less then show honor by doing the same. Sighing a little and shaking her head. "I do not understand why. All I can say is that I have come to view not only the egg but the pup within as my own. I watched as its true Sire and Bearer birthed it into the world. I have touched it and felt its warmth. I was unable to prevent the deaths of those who gave it life but I can do no less than care for it in their stead. My reactions of dislike are not of the egg and pup but of the fact that events were decided in my stead. That I have no choices."

"I told you, honored _Cro'dei-tha_, that you would not like what I had to say." Elizabeth's voice challenged and at the same time doused the flames of her aggression.

"I. . . apologize for the reaction. As you said, I really have one choice. And that is to care for the egg and the pup within it." Cro'dei-tha sighed as she retracted the blades. "But that is a burden I am willing to carry."

"We understand and take no offense. At this time your emotions and reactions are not entirely your own." Offered the physician. "Unfortunately I fear for the clan." She muttered quietly.

"What did you say?" Cro'dei-tha demanded sharply looking from one to the other for an explanation.

Seeing that the physician was not going to speak up again, Elizabeth sighed and explained the physician's comment in a better light. "She is just worried about the lives of any yautja who carelessly upsets you, while you are still affected by the pheromones. You may unintentionally kill him or her, including your honored mate _Setg'in-kre't_."

"Hah. My mate would never be foolish enough to anger me." Cro'dei-tha denied with a bark of derision.

"Oh really? Do you remember what you did when you were awakened? And just who do you think awakened you?" Elizabeth challenged.

"That was _Setg'in-kre't_?" Cro'dei-tha asked shocked at what she had nearly done.

"Yes that was your mate that you attacked." The physician commented. Feeling uncomfortable with the way the egg was making her behave she sought to change the topic.

"Can we go see the egg?" Cro'dei-tha asked anxiously. Unfortunately the egg seemed to have become a slight obsession.

"Of course Cro'dei-tha but afterward I would like time to study the last microburst communications you sent your high Elderess, she said that she would send it to your shuttle" Elizabeth answered with a grin.

"No need honored _Eli'silb-e'th_, the shuttle's databanks have a copy of everything I recorded on this peculiar hunting trip." Cro'dei-tha answered absently as she walked into the medi center.

Already in the Medi-center was Thwei-grat'ka and Setg'in-kre't. Reminiscing and having a discussion about the egg and its parentage.

"To think that I dismissed the tales of _Paya-deTjau'ke_, imagine my shock when as I was talking to your clan's High Elderess about our over abundance of females, she receives an urgent microburst from your mate and behold its thermal footage of a _Paya-deTjau'ke_ as it breaks out of _Tjau'ke _sleep." Chuckled Thwei-grat'ka. "When I was just a young pup I used to think that when I was older I would find the mightiest of the _Paya-deTjau'ke_ and bring back his head as a trophy."

"Our own clan has just the opposite we are having an over abundance of males. In the next score of years the next _Kainde Amedha Chiva _will see either plenty of _Thei-de _youngbloods or plenty of _Thei-de _blooded warriors." Setg'in-kre't commented before admitting to a similar dream. "And Yes, I also remember the stories my great sire used to tell me his great sire told him. And during the telling I dreamed the same." Setg'in-kre't Sighed.

"Until the end and I found out that they had died out through the _Ooman's Kwei_ exterminations."

"But now they may truly be extinct thanks to those unworthy _Pauk-de 'aseigan, Ve'nde-thwei Gru'pkna_. And now all we have is the product of a crossbreeding between an exceptional _Ooman _female and the _Paya-Tjau'ke_. And the offspring seems more _Ooman_ than it does the _Paya-deTjau'ke_." Growled Thwei-grat'ka trying to control his anger at the loss of a good and honorable hunting species. "Even if the offspring will have the traits that give it the _Paya-deTjau'ke _form, I fear that any offspring will be with another _Ooman_ female and they will also be _Ooman_ as the traits for the _Paya-deTjau'ke _weaken with every generation until they too are extinct."

"Honored Clan leader _Thwei-grat'ka_ no insult meant to your chosen mate but what do you mean exceptional _Ooman_ female? Surely an earth bound _Ooman _female is still an _Ooman_." Setg'in-kre't asked in slight puzzlement and continued when the elder didn't take insult. "They are weaker than the males, unlike our females, who can beat even the best of us, and should she be enraged then I wouldn't place a wager that the idiot would last five minutes."

"What you say is true for most _Ooman_ females but this one." Thwei-grat'ka tilted his head looking for the words to his thoughts. "This one was powerful, incredibly violent and resilient. The female and her mate would have violent _Jehdin/Jehdin_ that lasted for hours on end, no mats or padding, unlike the other _Jehdin/Jehdin_ I have seen _Oomans_ participate in. This _Ooman_ used nothing of that kind, preferred nothing but hard _Tjau'ke_ to break her falls. I saw the last transmission of recording's your mate sent and. . ." he shook his head with a rattling sigh unable to find the right words. "To try to explain or describe, would do this female an injustice you need to see the footage. Then you will believe when I say that I doubt that even my mate could have bested the execptional female of the _Paya-deTjau'ke_. The more I view the footage the more I begin to think that she would have been a good _Jehdin/Jehdin_ opponent for our females"

"Surely your joking?" gasped Setg'in-kre't in shock that any yautja would admit to such a thing. Right then he decided to view the footage and see if perhaps he could spot a flaw in the elder's thinking. "What do you think it feels like? Is it as soft as it looks?" he asked focusing for the moment on the slightly moving egg.

"I am unsure, I haven't touched it the only ones to know for sure are our mate's and the physician, and they were the only ones to handle it. I admit my curiosity." Thwei-grat'ka stepped closer to the egg as it stopped its slow undulations.

"Might as well find out now before they arrive to kick us out. Surely if they could touch it without harm so can we." He clicked in humor as he reached out to touch it and the doors shushed open.

Just as Cro'dei-tha entered the room Thwei-grat'ka was reaching out to touch the egg. And for a split second froze as she heard him speaking.

"Surely if they could touch it without harm so can we"

In that same moment she was across the room shoving the clan leader's arm to the side and snarling in his face.

"Do not dare to touch my egg." Then turned to make sure that it was undisturbed.

Everyone was in shock.

'_HER EGG?!' _Thought Thwei-grat'ka and Setg'in-kre't. While Elizabeth and the physician just stared at her as if she had gone H'ulij, even though they already knew how she felt about the egg.

"What do your mean your egg?" barked Setg'in-kre't the first to get over his shock and of course he chose the wrong thing to say. "You speak as if you birthed this, this thing." He pointed to the egg as it bulged on one side.

Aware that it was the damn pheromones doing its job she was unable to help herself as with her eyes flaring Cro'dei-tha stepped in front of her mate and snarled.

"Do you challenge my claim on this egg? For I do claim this egg and the pup within as my own." she flared her mandible at her shocked mate. Setg'in-kre't thought frantically for a way out of the challenge but he was trapped. His honor was at stake, for speaking against his mate like she was a 'Aseigan and not a female of honor. It was at stake again, if he withdrew his own challenge when she forced him to acknowledge his words. All yautja knew that to step away from your own challenge was a large blow to that yautja's honor. Girding himself he tried to choose words that would remind her of the reason she was acting the way she was. And allow the trap to ease so he could release himself without losing honor. But seeing the furious expression on her face and the way she stood to block them from the egg wiped away the words that would let him escape the trap his brashness had created.

"Yes I challenge your claim." He growled. The words rushed out with a life of their own. He tried to recover what he knew to be a lost cause. "I know about the pheromones it produces and the effect it is having on you. These reactions are not your own reasoned actions."

Ignoring everything else he said she growled. "Then Jehdin/jehdin it is, don your _'Awu'asa'_ for you will need it. I do not wish for your _Thei-de,_ I will take no joy in it nor will I mourn your passing if it comes." And with that she stripped herself of her armament.

While the mates prepared, Thwei-grat'ka gathered his mate and the physician.

"Gather what you will need." He told the physician. "She has already warned him how badly she will hurt him."

The physician nodded clicked sadly as she rushed to get her equipment and the other things she didn't have.

"_Thwei-grat'ka_? Will she try to kill him?" asked Elizabeth.

"I am sure that he will wish she had killed him. But she will leave him alive, I think." He sighed looking at the pair.

"But as far as I can tell, their status as mates, that I truly believe is _Thei-de_. Their personal honor will not allow for anything less at this time." He clicked to his mate as everyone signaled they were ready and he led them to the Kehrite of the larger hunting ship.

When they arrived in the Kehrite and everyone was ready, Thwei-grat'ka as the elder there, approached the combatants.

"_Cro'dei-tha _has accepted the challenge given by her mate _Setg'in-kre't_. _Cro'dei-tha _has added that it be unarmed to armed _Jehdin/Jehdin_. This _Jehdin/Jehdin_ will cease when one is either unable to go on, gets knocked from the platform or calls for _H'chak._ No matter the outcome do you each agree to abide by the victor's decision?" Cro'dei-tha and Setg'in-kre't both inclined their head in agreement.

"Very well" Thwei-grat'ka sighed as he turned and left the platform. As he stood between his mate and the physician he raised his hand and barked

"Begin!"

Everyone froze when Setg'in-kre't knelt down with his head bowed and spoke.

"Honorable huntress _Cro'dei-tha _as I prepared for combat, I found that I could not make my limbs do as they must. Even now my body refuses to strike out against yours." He gestured towards the trio of watchers. "Before the huntress and physician, the Honorable _Thwei-grat'ka_ leader of Clan _Guan'Gaa'tah _and his mate the Honorable Huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_. I retract my challenge and accept the lessening of my honor. I ask for _H'chak_ or if you cannot grant that, I ask that you do as you must." And with that he removed his facemask and undid his chest 'Awu'asa' and handed Cro'dei-tha the sheathed Kainde Amedha bone blade at his leg.

Cro'dei-tha accepted the blade as he left the option unvoiced. She could kill him if she wanted to, he had left himself vulnerable. Now she had to decide if her honor demanded that she kill him or accept his withdrawal of the challenge. She decided as she unsheathed the blade and adjusted her fingers around the handle as she looked at it.

"This is a good killing blade." She said then sheathed it again.

"I accept your withdrawal of the challenge and I grant _H'chak_." She sighed. "But until the time the egg hatches I will not live in your dwelling as your mate. Once we arrive back home I will return to my dwelling which I have kept. I will mate with no yautja during this time. At the end of the egg's hatching I will return this blade and if you are still the worthy and honorable warrior that won my favor the first time, I will give you a chance to win it again." And she walked off the platform ignoring the trio of stunned watchers and headed to her shuttle and undeniably the egg.

"That was unexpected." murmured Elizabeth to the physician and Thwei-grat'ka clicked in agreement, as they watched Setg'in-kre't redon his armor as he left the room.

"The outcome was similar to what I had thought. But she gave him a chance to win her back if he so chooses." He said to his mate.

"Then now her problems will begin when we arrive at her clan, the males will begin to attempt to court her and she will undoubtedly kill some of them if not most." The physician added as Elizabeth nodded

"Yes." Sighed Thwei-grat'ka, shaking his head.

"Perhaps I had better send the High Elderess a microburst communications about this to keep the deaths caused by idiocy down to a minimal.

"Why?" Elizabeth continued as both her mate and the physician looked at her.

"If they are so dimwitted as to continue to pursue her after she has made it clear she is not interested, then they deserve their just rewards. We certainly do not want that particular trait to be passed on to future generations." Commented Elizabeth bringing a clicking laughter to her mate and the physician.

After a moment they settled down. "I agree with your Honored mate _Eli'silb-e'th_, Honored _Thwei-grat'ka_ let them learn the hard way. If the High Elderess warns them away they will only try much harder and in secret." The physician nodded her head respectfully to Elizabeth.

"I will think on it" Thwei-grat'ka nodded. "Come we have preparations to conduct before we make our way home." He added as they left the Kehrite.

To Be Continued… in A New Hunter: The Hatching Years.

P.S : For all of you that wanted a knock down drag out between _Cro'dei-tha _and her mate _Setg'in-kre't_, just message me and I'll repost with a revision.

Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are _**constructive**_, of course.

And remember, **"Payas leitjin-de . . . Hma'mi-de"**.


	3. The Hatching Years

A NEW HUNTER:

THE HATCHING YEARS

By Legair

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own the Predators, Aliens or Gargoyles concepts. I'm just borrowing them but the characters herein are mine. Nor am I receiving monetary gains of any kind. Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are constructive, of course. With that said, please read and enjoy.

_**YEAR ONE**_

The clan was waiting for the arrival of one of their own. They were all crowded in the ship landing area, but there was several feet of space left where a pair of Yautja stood. No one dared step into the space occupied by the pair. The clan leader who would kill any that dared to show such disrespect. And the High Elderess who would personally kill any who dared even think of committing such disrespect. And it would not be a swift death by Ki'its-pa or Ki'cte-pa or even Plasma Blast. Oh no, it would be as slow and as painful as she could make it with her own hands. Though there was only one who had dared and lived. It's said that this Huntress, the Clan Leader and the Clan Elderess were siblings born of the same yautja warrior, the former Clan Leader. Those who truly knew never uttered a word, confirming or denying the whispers, not even in the secrecy of their homes. It was this Honored Huntress they waited for, said to have encountered a legendary Paya-deTjau'ke. The one who's character reflected her name. The soft gentle breeze, the ones you can barely tell is there, that comes just before the fury of the storm. The storm that destroys all in its path. They waited for Cro'dei-tha.

As soon as the group Clan Leader Thwei-grat'ka, and his mate Elizabeth exited the ship they were met by the High Elderess and the clan leader. As they approached Cro'dei-tha and the clan physician Pra'chek and Setg'in-kre't knelt on one knee before the High Elderess with their head down in the respectful position. Cro'dei-tha could see as the high Elderess and the clan leader nodded their heads in respect to Clan Leader Thwei-grat'ka, and his mate Elizabeth. Then she motioned to the Clan leader Pre'at'an who stood beside her as she turned her full attention back on Cro'dei-tha.

"You four retrieve the statue." The clan leader could be heard giving orders as he motioned to four of his strongest warriors. "And by _Paya_ be careful or I'll skin you myself and dump you on an ice planet." He shouted.

"You returned well and whole. You bring not only your clan but your family line great honor this day by returning with the remains of a _Paya-deTjau'ke_." The High Elderess said motioning for them to stand. Cro'dei-tha nodded respectfully as they stood as commanded. _Pra'chek_ came to her side and motioned for her to take the basket while they watched the four males carry the large double statue trying not to struggle with its weight. Cro'dei-tha turned and set the basket down in front of her by the statue and made the protocol motion of wanting to speak. She waited for permission, which the High Elderess granted with a motion of her hand.

"High Elderess, I wish to claim the egg and the pup within it as my own. To be raised by our laws as one of us." She spoke aloud so every yautja within hearing distance heard what she asked. There were a few soft hisses of surprise, but none dared openly speak until after the High Elderess had made her decision and had left.

"_Cro'dei-tha_ I hereby grant your claim, make sure that the pup within this egg forever more carries itself within the laws and code of yautja society. Teach him well so that all his actions bring you honor." The High Elderess spoke as she looked at her sister. "Come to my chambers when the second sun rides high in the sky." Then slammed her staff to the ground and walked away.

"Honored huntress where should I have the warriors place the statue? In your dwelling?" the Clan leader asked as she turned around and noticed her former mate Setg'in-kre't walking away.

"No not my dwelling, they were not prey but honorable warriors. I wish for them to have a place of honor. Take it to the Trophy Hall where it will stand for all the clan and visiting clans to see! I'll come by later so that it can be positioned to best viewing vantage" she told the clan leader, acting as if Setg'in-kre't no longer mattered to her, as he nodded and swelled with pride. Then she turned to Pra'chek, Thwei-grat'ka, and Elizabeth. "Honored _Pra'chek,_ _Thwei-grat'ka, Eli'silb-eth_ I thank you for your assistance." She told them then added "I would ask for future assistance. I would wish to contact you for advice or assistance when needed over the intervening years on my concerns over the egg and the developing pup inside. I will need your expertise." she asked and was satisfied that they nodded their agreement to aid her when needed before they separated and went their own ways.

Cro'dei-tha returned to her dwelling where she summarily evicted the _Bre'ktrohl_ that had managed to trespass, by way of speartip through its skull. She secreted the egg in a special alcove known only to her. Then she went to supervise the placement of the statue in the special courtyard in full exposure of the suns, in the clan's Trophy Hall, where trophies showing the clan's honor and strength were displayed. And along with the statue sat the marked skulls of the _Ve'nde-thwei_ trio.

Later that day the High Elderess met with Cro'dei-tha in her chamber of audience.

"So _Mei'hswei, _I've heard that you honored the clan and the remains of _Kz'arah_ the_ Paya-deTjau'ke_ and _L'lth_ his _Ooman_ mate by placing them at an advantageous position in the Trophy Hall. I have seen them she does look different than the honored huntress _Elizabeth. _And he looks just as foreboding as he did in life. The remains seem to retain the likeness of life as if they sleep and would arise again to do battle." The High Elderess said after greeting _Cro'dei-tha_ and sitting on her throne-like chair and crossing her supple legs.

"Yes I felt it my duty to honor them since they reduced the ranks of the _Ve'nde-thwei _and brought them justice. Had I been faster or seen the signs sooner I co..." she began but was stopped.

"_Ki'cte Cro'dei-tha_, you are not _Paya_ to accomplish this impossible thing." The High Elderess said gently. "You who are named for the wind of no sound, the breeze that precedes the destroying storm. You _Mei'hswei _who is mortal are not that fast, be satisfied with the knowledge that you kept your honor by preventing the _Paya-deTjau'ke _from falling at the hands of a_ Ve'nde-thwei _trap. That you allowed him an honorable _Dtai'kai'-dte_** t**hus granting him the chance to meet _Guan-paya_ with the still warm _Thwei_ of a traitor and assassin on his hands and his honorable mate by his side. And _Rjet_ any other that says otherwise." She said thumping her fist on the human skull hand rest.

"As you say _Thei-deGuan_. Yes they do seem to be merely asleep. They could have been the ones to restore the dying species of _Paya-deTjau'ke,_ there are less than 500 of these warriors in existence. Should they be restored they would go a long way to bringing greater honor to those hunters and huntresses that manage to bring one of their heads as a trophy. And I'm sure that even an honorable people such as they would have their form of _Ve'nde-thwei_. Think of it, a species that are just as intelligent as _Oomans_, as powerful as any _Yautja_ with the ferocity of a _Kainde Amedha_. How much honor do you suppose a trophy skull of that kind would bring a warrior or the clan?" Cro'dei-tha said casually as if speaking merely to herself.

"Be that as it may, I called you here to discuss the possibility of you being swarmed with suitors." Thei-deGuan said while her eyes held a gleam of interest in her sister's thoughts. "Know that I will not and cannot forbid the clan males from pursuing you. For if I tried they would continue to do so in secret which would be worse. So you will be left to handle those single-minded hormonal overgrown pups." She clicked a chuckle as her sister joined her in the joke.

"Of course I will deal with them and I will try to keep the foreseen inevitable deaths down to a minimum." Cro'dei-tha offered, looking at her sister for a moment before adding, "I see you so rarely _Mei'hswei_**,** should you need, I offer my dwelling as sanctuary. Where we and our _Mei'hswei _can gather for a time and enjoy each others company." She gave the proper salute of respect, when Thei-deGuan nodded her head regally, then left the chambers.

That evening back in her dwelling she looked at the soft egg with what amounted to bliss in her eyes.

"Well, all has been put in place, little one. Now all I need to do is wait for you to hatch, yet somehow I believe that this will be the most difficult thing I've ever done." Sighed Cro'dei-tha as she eyed the egg with peace and contentment, for once not caring that these feeling's were not her own. She soon settled into a life of waiting and caring for the egg.

And for the first year all was good. The egg also began to undergo the stone change during the day alleviating one worry and she needed only to rotate it 180 degrees once every other night. But being contrary to the yautja that she was, every time she was out of the house which was often, her patience and tolerance ran in short supply and her aggression grew like a pack of bisor during the rutting season.

**_YEAR TWO_**

One day coming from the Dto area, she had claimed as her own to hunt when the egg was stone. She found a small crowd of yautja in front of her home watching as two males fought. Sighing she shoved and tossed males out of her way bringing herself closer to the combatants. Neither combatant realized that she was there or how the shrieks of the crowd had suddenly stopped. She waited for a moment then reached out and smashed their heads together when they came within reach of her.

"You arrogant and foolish males neither of you are worthy of my attentions." She roared at them. She rarely if ever roared which showed them that this was one of her bad days. "None here are worthy. The last suitor that thought with his genitals and not with what was between his ear-holes believed he was worthy. He received the attention of _Guan-paya_ at my hands." She snarled to the crowd of spectators, noticing that the tallest in the group, stood at least a full Nok above the rest. He stood with his arms folded, smirking and staring intently at her. _'I know this one from somewhere.' _She thought before she continued to berate the crowd.

"If you wish to attempt to gain the favor of my attentions then I call challenge to any of you. If you can defeat me in _Jehdin/Jehdin_ then and only then will you be given the chance to gain my favor. Or you can wait seven years and by then your honor will speak for you. But be prepared for the consequences of your actions. This holds for all, blooded warriors and Youngblood's alike." She growled as she stared at the few Youngblood's in the group of warriors.

"So it's true. She has renounced her mate, our clan leader's third." Kre'ta-thwei murmured as he watched with interest as she confronted the crowd he had brought to her home. _'Perhaps now I'll get her to see me in a new light. I'm not the scrawny pup any longer.' _He thought then noticed that she had seen him and made eye contact. '_C'jit_!_'_ Kre'ta-thwei swore unfolding his arms. _'Oh well she would have seen me eventually it's not like I blend in with everyone else, but does she recognize me?'_ he wondered smirking at everyone around him.

'_Kre'ta-thwei?!'_ she thought shocked as finally the smirk jolted her memory and she recognized him. _'I don't believe it! It is him,' _It was him in the crowd of yautja, he'd changed from the younger mischief making companion from her youth. _'It appears he is still causing trouble. This crowd has all of the talon marks of one of his schemes. But whatever he's up to I want no part of.'_ She thought then added him to her warning. "As well as old childhood tag along companions." She saw with small satisfaction that his smile fell and his eyes widened.

'_Ahh Rjet_ _that was fast. I wonder how she knew?'_ he groaned to himself at her reminder of their childhood and how he used to follow her around and usually convinced her to join him in one of his trouble causing schemes.

"Well, who here accepts my challenge?" she called out feeling a little better for having vented her frustration. Seeing no one move she snorted in disgust. "Bah you're all nothing but young pups playing at warriors." Then turned away to go home. "Leave my dwelling area before I decide to kill the lot of you. And you, Youngblood's, if you want to live to your hunting trial it would be best if I did not see any of you here again. Tell your comrades as well, this will be my only warning." She said as she disappeared into her dwelling. _'That sneaky Hac'nikt_ _set this all up. He would try to impress me.'_ She thought, _'Though from everything I've heard of him, he wouldn't have to try very hard. He'd always been sniffing around after me as we got older. Even after I beat him to a pulp for trying to mate me while being unblooded.' _as she washed the dried blood from her body and went to relax.

As he watched her enter her home and the crowd dispersed, he gave a count of fifty and approached her door which chimed.

"_Fik-neh w_hoever it is. And if it is you at my door _Kre'ta-thwei_ that applies to you as well. Was not my warning clear?" He could just hear her inside when she yelled.

"I've only come to talk." He yelled at the door feeling a little foolish.

"Oh of course talk. How foolish of me. _Fik-neh_, now is not the time to come speak your peace." He heard her shout with a growl. "They're likely to be the last words you say, as I'm more likely to kill you than greet you. Return when the suns dip below the horizon." He heard her yell as she shrieked and threw something across the room where it smashed against the wall.

"Well at least she told me to return instead of just coming out and beating me to a pulp." He murmured with a smile as he walked away thinking of ways to kill time until the suns set, it was still high noon!

Later that night Kre'ta-thwei walked back to the dwelling of Cro'dei-tha, as he neared it he found a pair of Ve'nde-thwei skulking around her home looking up at her open window. _'So those stinking Tarei'hasan_ _think to murder her!_ He thought running as fast as he could. Feeling his blood boil he descended on them roaring his battle cry. The battle was fierce. He'd never fought a badblood before much less a pair of them all his opponents were all either prey or honorable if foolish warriors. He found himself caught between them both. Every time he turned to fight one the other would try to dash in and skewer his unprotected back. Finally having had enough Kre'ta-thwei grabbed the nearest one punched him in the face hard enough to dent the mask and threw him into the other. Then leapt after them activating his Ki'its-pa, he used his falling momentum to drive the spear through the chests of them both splitting the heart of one and severing the spine of the other, before they could disentangle themselves. He breathed harshly for a second then whipped his head around as he heard a familiar shriek followed by the unmistakable sound of a Plasma Caster being fired and a roar of pain. This was promptly followed by a third Ve'nde-thwei who had come flying out the window he had obviously used to gain entrance to her home. Kre'ta-thwei watched for a moment knowing that such a fall would not truly hinder any yautja but when he saw the smoking crater where the badbloods guts used to be, he delayed no longer and rushed to her door _'What a female! She gutted him with a plasma burst.'_ He thought

"_Cro'dei-tha_!" he bellowed pounding on her locked door. He sighed in relief when he heard her inside. But he knew his heart would not stop pounding until he saw her himself.

"Alright, _Ki'cte_! _Kre'ta-thwei_ don't get your loincloth in a twist. Stop your hammering of my door and your shouting, you'll wake the neighbors!" she bellowed back as she opened the door.

"So there were three of them." He said growling as he crossed his arms and stared at her before his trademark smirk appeared. "And do you usually have a trio of _Ve'nde-thwei_ out after your blood and head?"

"No I do not. There were four of them." She sighed before allowing him to enter. His eyes widened as he saw a fourth and very dead Ve'nde-thwei. He was against the wall! He'd been impaled with her spear!

"How did you manage to get that close without any wounds?" he asked in a whistling hiss very much impressed.

"I didn't. I threw my _Ki'its-pa,_ just after I activated it." She snorted in amusement at the what must be a surprised expression on the Ve'nde-thwei face behind the mask. "The honorless _C'jit_ never knew what hit him."

"Impressive!" he finally admitted as she reached for the weapon. "And to think I wanted to be the one to do the impressing."

"Not really I heard them coming long before they entered through the window." She said as she retracted her spear letting the body fall to the ground smearing blood on the wall along the way.

"You must tell me more." He asked and tilted his head as he heard something and then recognized the sound. "But after the _Ge'tah_ leave." He chuckled knowing she could hear them too.

"Of course." She nodded her head. After a moment the heard the arrival three flitters bringing a handful of Ge'tah. They watched through the open doorway as the half dozen Ge'tah landed.

"_Cro'dei-tha,_ if you are alive and unhurt, exit and account for the bodies in front of your dwelling." The elder of the group demanded as he stepped forward.

"Well, it's like old times." Kre'ta-thwei chuckled.

"Yes it is. The adults have come to reprimand us and put an end to the trouble you called fun." She laughed in remembrance, "Go stall them for a minute, while I go check on something." She told him as she stepped back into one of her rooms.

He nodded his head accepting the task. "I trust that when we have our talk you will explain?" he asked tilting his head curiously. "You know it used to be you that stalled the adults while I usually made good my escape. I hope you will not turn the tables now." He teased as he walked out of her home and barked at the waiting warriors

"What do you _Ge'tah_ want? And it's Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_ to you!" he barked out towering over the lead warrior. "Don't you see the bodies of these Ve'nde-thwei near the Honorable Warrior Huntress' dwelling?" he roared, not giving the lead Ge'tah a chance to overcome his surprise. "Order your warriors to collect the bodies, for identification. And I want the heads of the two _Pauk-de 'aseigan_ still skewered to the ground with my _Ki'its-pa_ in them. The still smoking third belongs to the Honored Warrior Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_ if she wants it."

"Of course I do, it was an honorable kill even if my attackers were not, and the head of the fourth one in my dwelling as well." She exclaimed smirking at Kre'ta-thwei as she exited her dwelling. "_Kre'ta-thwei_ stop harassing them. And let them do their jobs." She said with a visible smile and addressed the lead Ge'tah pleasantly. "Now warrior who are you? And how may I assist you, mind you it's evening and I have yet to have my meal. I have a full day ahead of me tomorrow, so I'm sure you will keep this brief correct?" she asked as her demeanor turned light and deceptive as her name described her.

"We are assigned to investigate any and all commotion emanating from your dwelling. We were informed that you were killing yautja warriors at whim and we were appointed to investigate." He answered quickly having already been informed of her peculiar mood swings.

"Assigned by who? Who informed and appointed you?" she demanded as her voice and body remained light and deceptive while inside she was boiling.

"We were assigned by the High Elderess who received the appointment from the Council of High Elder's. We were informed by a _'aseigan_ and sent by the High Elderess." He answered trying to sound unconcerned in front of his warriors, as if he were in control of things. Suddenly she understood the Ve'nde-thwei, the assassin of her and her mate's pup and her cousin, was still out there trying to dishonor her enough to force her to do something foolish so he could act.

"Very well." She said calmly, now back to a normal demeanor. "I have nothing to add except that these honorless pieces of _C'jit_ came to my dwelling to assassinate me. I killed this one," she pointed at the gutted body the other Ge'tah were carrying "and the other within. While my companion obviously saw the others outside my dwelling and dispatched them." She motioned to Kre'ta-thwei as he was examining two heads now detached from their bodies. And without another word she walked to Kre'ta-thwei and motioned for the short blade he had used to remove the heads. She began to do the same to her kills leaving the masks behind in place of the heads that she now carried to her dwelling ignoring everyone else. "If we are to have our talk then place your trophies in a sack. I do not wish to see those disgusting things in my home the entire time, dripping _Thwei_ all over." She barked with a laugh, knowing that she would see her own trophies and that they would be dripping _Thwei_ all over, as she disappeared through her door not caring what the Ge'tah did with the remains. She could also tell that Kre'ta-thwei was scrambling with his trophies as he rushed after her direction by the muttered curse he gave.

"_C'jit_!" He cursed as he snatched a sack from an inattentive Ge'tah and stuff the heads inside racing off after her. "Hey how come your letting yours drip all over everything?" The Ge'tah heard him ask as he got to the doorway. But they never heard her response as the door closed after him.

**_YEAR THREE_**

In the three years of waiting Cro'dei-tha had been forced to kill six suitors. There seemed to be no end to them. Then she soon found herself challenged by females who wished to prove themselves more dominant or advance their honor. This was a mixed blessing because they helped her work out her aggression but sometimes they got out of hand. If the suitor or challenger was lucky they were badly beaten the first time and allowed to live to learn from their error. If not they wound up dead never to try again. One day after an unsatisfying sparring session and feeling unreasonably angry, Cro'dei-tha stomped her way to the Dto she claimed as her own to do some hunting. On the way she is challenged by an older female displeased with the fact that Cro'dei-tha's honor exceeded her own and indifferent to the circumstances. But what displeased her more was the fact that her own mate has been trying to add Cro'dei-tha to his group of mates.

"_Cro'dei-tha_! I issue challenge!" Barked the female. "Face me like a true warrior huntress and not some observer. You have not earned the honor you have. I wish to see myself if you are still the Huntress I knew, before your trip to that _Ooman_ cesspool of a planet." Growled the female as _Cro'dei-tha_ turned around with death and fire in her eyes. She gave a quick nod of her head to acknowledge the challenge.

"You were foolish to challenge me, this day bodes ill for you _Meh'ket_!" she warned as she stalked to her opponent.

"I shall worry about that if you prove to be more than I can handle." Meh'ket taunted throwing fuel to the fire already raging in Cro'dei-tha's veins.

"I have issued the challenge. It is your right you get to choose how I reduce your honor." Meh'ket smirked nastily.

"It is your life, I will allow you to choose the manner of your death." Cro'dei-tha snarled as she fisted her hands and popped the knuckles.

"Very well I choose _Jehdin/Jehdin_ and it ends when one of us can no longer go on or until one has cried _H'chak!"_ Meh'ket responded as Cro'dei-tha remained silent. They soon divested themselves of most of their armor and weaponry and circled each other.

"I plan to beat you slowly and painfully, it is the only way to strip you of the honor you do not deserve!" Meh'ket growled at Cro'dei-tha. Seeing that her opponent stayed silent she leapt towards her planning to punch that insolent quiet face. Cro'dei-tha read the tautness of her opponent's muscles and knew that the female would leap before Meh'ket herself knew. Cro'dei-tha moved out of the way and launched a vicious kick that sank deep into the charging huntress' stomach, dropping her to the ground. As soon as Meh'ket stood Cro'dei-tha dashed forward slamming a powerful fist in the spot between the upper mandible where a nose would have been had her opponent been ooman. Followed by a crushing right breaking the mandible bones. She stepped back from Meh'ket, and watched as she crumpled to the ground gasping for breath with blood dribbling from her mouth. Cro'dei-tha then reached out grabbing her by the neck and by a leg and lifted her high into the air.

"Never again shall you challenge me or my honor!" she shrieked before slamming her opponent's back down onto a bent knee hearing bones pop. Then carelessly rolled her off and stood to watch as Meh'ket twitched and gurgled gagging for breath. As soon as she stopped breathing Cro'dei-tha once again donned her armor and left the body of the huntress to the care of her comrades.

"Wait honored huntress I must know, why did you kill huntress _Meh'ket?" _one of the group's females asked in bewilderment.

"_Gkei'moun_," Cro'dei-tha said staring at the young female who she judged to be just out of her Chiva. "I warned her twice did I not, she chose her words poorly. Now she can no longer continue can she." She finished before turning away and continued on her way to the _Dto_ ahead of her.

**_YEAR FOUR_**

As the incubation time passed the halfway mark, Cro'dei-tha's life was marked by being summoned by the High Elderess. As Cro'dei-tha was escorted to the High Elderess' anteroom she found the Clan leader Pra'et'an his second DeTjau'ke had also been summoned.

"Good now that everyone is here, we can proceed." Barked a voice from the side commanding everyone's attention.

"High Elderess." they all say as they dropped to one knee. They rise when she makes a hand motion.

"Honored Hunters and Huntress, I have called you because we have a dilemma." She pauses as she looks over the trio of warriors. "Honored Huntress _Nih'kou'di _was heavily injured on a hunt and Honored Hunter _Cn'trx_ was killed in combat. We are short two warriors to train this season's new Unblooded's and Youngblood's." She said as she walked to her Mei'hswei.

"That is why I am proclaiming Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de_ the trainer of the female Youngblood's for the _Chiva_ until Huntress _Nih'kou'di_ has fully healed." She paused to allow that news to sink in then continued. "I also extend to her the choice to train any Unblooded's when she so chooses." She finished and turned to her seat and sat back, eyeing them for protests seeing none she dismissed them. As they left they nodded to one another in silent agreement for a meeting to discuss training plans. Cro'dei-tha knew that with the pronouncement of this additional honor, a new and larger wave of suitors and challengers would come calling.

The next day Cro'dei-tha found herself in the Kehrite of Youngblood's aspiring to be Huntresses. Due to having to beat a pair of suitors and another huntress into unconsciousness, she found that berating the students came easy, to break them of their pride, so they could learn properly to hunt, claim their trophy head and survive in the first honored hunt of the Kainde Amedha. She had them sparring against each other to ascertain who was the worst in the group. Finding her she called out for order and pointed.

"_Ki'cte_! Line up in front of me!" she barked as she stood still in front and folded her arms.

"You, _Jaj_! " she pointed to her first victim. The young female rushed to stand before her with her head in a respectful bow

"Yes honored huntress _Cro'dei-thaBr'ha. . ._" she began only to be stopped.

"Silence, I did not call you to honor me. I know my honor I have no need to be reminded of it." Cro'dei-tha snapped at the youth walking back and forth. "If you _Tarei'hasan S'yuit-de_ wish to honor me, address me as leader while in my presence." She stopped in front of the youth. "Is that understood?"

"Yes leader" the group answered as one.

"Good." She smiled then looked at the female in front of her. "Let me see what you can do. I am the _Kiande Amedha_ intent on killing you. Attack me and defend yourself as you would with a real _Kainde Amedha_." She barked harshly and as the female readied herself to attack, Cro'dei-tha whipped out a hand and backhanded the student.

"You are _Thei-de_." She snarled to the downed student who bowed her head in submission and knew better than to get up immediately. She turned away glaring at the other students as she addressed the group. "In a _Kainde Amedha_ hunt one does not prepare inside the hive. One comes prepared and ready to kill thirty breathes before entering your drop pod. The _Kainde Amedha_ will not wait for you to prepare yourselves in their hive. Their only instinct is to attack and kill and to continue killing until there is no more to kill or until they themselves are killed." she growled contemptuously. Turning back to the prostrate female motioning for her to stand and barked, "Now again attack!"

She spent the day slowly working with the group of students. By the time they worked their way to the best all the students had an innumerable amount of bruises, cuts, scratches and sprains. When she called for the attack the student charged forward only to dart back when Cro'dei-tha swung a fist straight forward like the inner jaws of a Kainde Amedha. Noting that the student was competent she quickly changed the tempo to combat speed and she added her other limbs. The young student successfully blocked an attack and barely dodged the inner jaw attack, leaving herself open to a tail attack which Cro'dei-tha provided with a kick sending the youngster skidding on the ground. Cro'dei-tha quickly followed after giving a good rap on the back of the skull of the downed student.

"You are _Thei-de_. You must never forget that the _Kainde Amedha_ have more than the jaws and claws they also have the tail blade at the end which they can just as easily use to stab you with instead of battering you with it. Next time you will do better." She barked to them all as she allowed the student to rise. "That is all for the day, _Fik-neh_, go to your homes. Practice what you know and what you've learned today. Be prepared tomorrow." She called out and dismissed the class.

"Yes leader" the class chanted together and bowed their heads in respect. As she turned she found her friend Kre'ta-thwei leaning against the wall with his customary smirk. When the students exited he approached.

"That was riveting but a little harsh." He commented.

"I was given the honor of training them, not hold their hands. I will not coddle them. This is the way I and my _Mei'hswei _were trained. These should be better. They need to be better, if they wish to survive with honor." She commented hotly.

"True but to beat them soundly on their first day looks to be excessive." He commented slowly.

"_Kre'ta-thwei,_ I have been keeping account of how many aspiring huntresses go out for their first hunt and the percentage of the survivors have been dropping steadily now hardly one in ten return." She snarled at him.

"But that's…" he gasped shocked.

"When the group I was in went for our first honored hunt, eight of the ten of us returned and seven survived. The other died on the ship in transit to the home world, from a tail wound to the chest that cut into her heart. Though she died she was honored as a blooded warrior huntress as was proven by the praetorian skull she returned with in her fist." She growled and continued.

"If you check the male _S'yuit-de_ you'll see that more than fifty and no less than seventy percent of them return alive and survive. I do not personally know Huntress _Nih'kou'di _but I do personally know the Clan Leader and something is wrong. And I intend to see that it is corrected." She told him calmly as she left him staring after her.

"Of course _Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de._ As their instructor your honor demands it." He said calmly, then smiled. "It suits you." He said as he watching as she stopped in her tracks.

"What does?" she asked him suspicion lining her body.

"Your new name, _Cro'dei-tha_ _Br'hak'ta-de,_ it describes you completely." He told her honestly and just smile to himself as she nodded her head and left without another word.

**_YEAR FIVE_**

Cro'dei-tha had just returned from a short lesson where she nearly killed her one of her students. Only to come across Elizabeth standing by her dwelling.

"Not now Honored Huntress I need to check on the Egg. Then go hunting, I need to kill something!" she snarled as she got closer and the door swooshed open.

"My just a bit touchy today aren't you?" Elizabeth commented with a smile, she stepped out of the way then followed after. She continued to smile when she received a growling hiss.

"Actually I came to check the egg myself just in case." She said from inside the entrance and looking around the room. "It doesn't hurt to have an extra pair of eyes looking after it. But now that you mention it I could do with a hunt myself." She said as Cro'dei-tha lifted a delicately spike brow at her and brought the egg into the light and inspected it for minute cracks or blemishes.

"It helps me think." Elizabeth said as she studied the stone egg as well.

"Then perhaps we should not hunt on the grounds near my home. Between the two of us the Dto would be left with no prey of any kind." She shrugged as, satisfied that no harm had befallen the egg, she took it to the back and secured it again. "Perhaps we should hunt something that would test our combined and cooperative skills?" she asked as they walked out of the home.

"Yes that sounds acceptable but who would take the skull once the kill is made?" Cro'dei-tha asked as they walked deep into the dto.

"Well who ever makes the killing blow." Elizabeth reasoned. "Truly all I need is the satisfaction of the hunt and maybe the kill. So the skull is yours by right of this being your hunt and my just being a participant." Elizabeth temporized knowing how touchy Yautja were about their hunting skills. And knew it was not wise to antagonize the female that had resisted her attempts of friendship. "Now tell me what had you in a foul mood?" she asked carefully

I nearly killed a student today simply because she didn't quickly grasp the technique of firing her Plasma Caster upon multiple targets and dealing with her immediate foe. This is not a good enough reason whatsoever to cause the death of the student." Cro'dei-tha admitted with a growl as she looked to her companion and zeroed in to a slight movement in the bushes behind her.

"Do you think a _Tr'ef-zrak_ will be enough to satisfy our honor and our lust for the hunt?" Cro'dei-tha asked mildly looking to Elizabeth her erstwhile hunting partner.

"Hmm _Tr'ef-zrak_, I would have thought a long haired _Gem'shik_. But a _Tr'ef-zrak_ will do. Deadly, swift, and completely savage yes a _Tr'ef-zrak_ will do very well."Elizabeth mused for a moment. "Why that?" then stiffened slightly as she caught the sounds coming from her left and her companion's right. "Never mind I hear them. One to my left, one to your right." She continued to talk normally aware that some of the planets animals were urged to attack when something seems out of place with the prey they are stalking

"A pair? Hmm yes they do hunt in pairs. I spotted one but not the other, your hearing is truly exceptional. It seems that the prey has come to us. How do you feel about limiting ourselves to just _Ki'cti-pa_ blades for the kill." Cro'dei-tha clicked eagerly.

"Hah, of course. You do realized you are absolutely bloodthirsty." Elizabeth snorted her amusement.

"Let us show them that it is they who are prey and not the other way around. You take the left I take the right?" Elizabeth asked normally though her blood was boiling from the urge to make the kill.

"3!" Growled Cro'dei-tha in response.

"2!" Elizabeth snarled back.

"1!!" They barked simultaneously. And charged their opposing beasts just as they leapt to make their own kills.

As Cro'dei-tha ducked the charge and slammed a fist into the chest of the lunging beast, she caught a glance at her fellow huntress. She saw as she tackled the beast landing blows that would have stunned a _yautja_. _'Her mate has taught her well she moves and thinks like a yautja of many successful hunts.'_ Cro'dei-tha thought as she dodged a venomous tail strike. And kicked the creature in the jaw lifting it off it's two front legs.

"_Cro'dei-tha_! Switch yes?" growled Elizabeth as she deflected a sweeping tail in mid-movement.

"Yes." She heard as she leaped over a rush of snapping teeth.

"Now!" they shouted and whirled switching places to face their new opponents.

Cro'dei-tha dodged the flailing legs of the of Elizabeth's beast whipping her wrist blades and hamstringing it as finished rearing. Meanwhile Elizabeth had dashed to the slightly off guard creature that had been Cro'dei-tha's and plunged her blades into the beasts side leaving a long dual gash from shoulder to flank. As the two large beasts crashed to the ground. The huntresses again switched places and charged back to their original beasts, and extended their blades to the full lengths and either dodged furiously whipping tails or savagely snapping serrated teeth. They made their kills each plunging the diamond sharp blades through the tough hide and strong bone chestplates into the heart, bringing instant death.

As they finished the skinning process Cro'dei-tha made her slits to disconnect the skull and spine from the shoulder and pulled, ripping the muscles and popping the cartilage that connected the spine to the ribs. As she finished she watched Elizabeth make cuts along the spine severing the tough muscles before grasping the spine near the skull and yanking upward producing the same popping sound Cro'dei-tha did when she removed the spine of her beast. Cro'dei-tha watched as Elizabeth gave the ritual roar of victory thrusting the intact and bloody skull, spine and tail into the air.

"And you called me bloodthirsty? I wonder, are you sure you're not a _yautja_ in disguise?" asked Cro'dei-tha. Her fellow huntress snorted her laughter and suddenly whipped around extending her wristblades as a sound came from behind her.

"Yes I wonder myself my most honorable mate." Clicked Thwei-grat'ka with a glint of lust in his eyes as he took in the sight of his mate glorying in her kill.

"Greeting's Honored huntress _Cro'dei-tha_, impressive kill." He greeted her with a nod of his head. And turned his eyes to his mate as she finished cleaning her prize as best she could with the tools at hand. Cro'dei-tha nodded in return, then turned to Elizabeth

"Honored _Eli'silb-e'th_ You were a good hunting partner it would be an honor to claim you as a comrade not just as a fellow huntress but in other areas as well." Cro'dei-tha approached the other huntress and grasped her shoulder and clicked in satisfaction.

Speechless for all of a second Elizabeth returned the shoulder grasp.

"I am honored that you think so highly of me honored _Cro'dei-tha_. And will live up to that honor." She returned seriously.

"I'll see you at my dwelling the evening of the next day. Now go it seems your actions have attracted your mate's attentions. And I believe that he has some… strenuous exercises in mind." Cro'dei-tha chuckled wickedly. She watched as the clan leader grabbed his mates kill and slung it over his shoulder as he swept her into his arms and took off out of the Dto. When they were gone she turned and headed home somehow satisfied with herself.

**_YEAR SIX_**

"Enter or leave! Make your decision but do not make me go to you or you will be very sorry.!" Cro'dei-tha snarled when she heard her door open and but not close.

"Is that how you greet your comrades?" asked the voice of her friend.

"_Eli'silb-e'th_ it's been too long, come to the back and bring our mate if he's accompanied you." Cro'dei-tha answered back as she turned the egg and watched it bulge as the child inside moved to a better position.

"The pup is much larger…" she trailed off as she saw Elizabeth waddle into her room. "What?! How did you become with pup? It is impossible for _Yautja_ and _Oomans_ to interbreed." She asked slitting her eyes in accusation.

"Be at peace honored _Cro'dei-tha_. They were sired by my honored mate _Thwei-grat'ka_." Elizabeth smiled in her human way while rubbing her stomach.

"How?" Cro'dei-tha demanded looking from one friend to the other.

"Tell me how is the egg and the child inside and I'll tell you how I became pregnant." She offered in trade.

"The Egg spots that tell the maturity have gotten much larger, as you said based on the translations. And the child has nearly filled the space inside, he seems fully formed." Cro'dei-tha began to warm to the topic of the pup. "He's already showing the budding spurs on the elbows and knees and budding horns on his head, the feet are similar to _Oomans _with all the normal toes and fingers." Cro'dei-tha finished as she gently brushed her clawed hand over the egg and clicked in satisfaction when the part she was touching thumped against her hand. "And as you can see he has gotten more active when he senses my warmth." She added with a smile of her tusks.

"Okay now it's my turn. Well three months back we were hunting a pack of half-dozen _Tr'ef-zraks_, which traveled into our _Dto_ and were killing off the other prey. While we were tending our wounds we were ambushed by a what we believed were a pair of _Ve'nde-thwei_ though the last one appeared in the middle of our battle." Elizabeth begins telling her story.

"Well done my mate this was a most excellent hunt." Thwei-grat'ka clicked in satisfaction to his mate and though he felt uneasy he believed it was left over worry for his mate who had battle three of them while he battled his trio of beasts. Suddenly they both heard the sound of a net cutting through the air and he saw as his mate was instantly propelled backward as it wrapped her and the tree behind her in wires. The whine signaled that it was the cutting kind. Before he could go to her he was attacked by a plasma burst.

"_Kwei Vende-thwei!_" he bellowed as he crossed his arms hoping that the Ki'cte-pa and gauntlets would block the burst without it removing his forearms in the process. Elizabeth cried out as she felt the wires begin to bite into her flesh and instantly unsheathed her Ki'cti-pa blades cutting through the wires freeing herself in time to avoid a deadly spear thrust.

"_Ell-osde' pauk!_ You Honorless _Bisor c'jit_. Show yourself or are you such a _Kwei vende-thwei_ that you cannot bear to be looked upon." She taunted as she finished her roll. As her mask's vision showed a heat signature of the yautja, she staggered when a speargun bolt stabbed into her thigh and her attacker uncloaked. She immediately switch her vision mode to normal.

"You _Ooman_ filth you will die by my hands as my _Mei'shwei_ gut that C_hi'dte oomani-di_." Growled the yautja as he advanced. She quickly scanned her area around her and found her mate roaring as he threw his spear into the chest of his stunned attacker. Only to turn and roar himself as a thrown smart disc returned to the dead _yautja_ and buried itself into her mates shoulder.

"It seems that your _Mei'shwei_ will be the ones to receive _Thei-de,_ you fool. And I say that you will be the one to receive _Thei-de_ at my _Ooman_ hands." She snarled in return as she shifted painfully on her wounded leg ignoring the pain.

"We shall see _Lou-dte kalei Gru'pkna!_" he snarled as he heard the death rattle of his brother. He swung a clawed fist at her head hoping to kill her instantly but was surprised when she deflected it and performed a back flip with her boots striking his masked chin knocking him backwards in further surprise.

"Yes we shall see." She hissed for a moment as her blood loss caused her vision to blur. She brandished her skinning knife before her and screamed a challenging roar as she charged him like an enraged female that she was. Thwei-grat'ka roared in agony as when he turned around to face the next opponent a smart disc he had not seen thrown returned to bury itself into his shoulder. In his agony he noticed that his mate was alive and had a bolt in her thigh and was facing off with a Ve'nde-thwei. He noticed her bare flesh was lacerated with several wire cuts bathing her in her own blood. He knew he had to end the confrontation quickly or lose his mate to either the Ve'nde-thwei or loss of blood both of which were fates he was unwilling to accept. Then promptly snapped his attention to the roar he heard behind him, as he whirled he dodged the downward knifeblade swing aimed for his spine ad grunted as he felt it buried high into his back. As he defended himself with a savage kick to the yautja's side, he roared and charged with his skinning blade and thrust it into the neck of his opponent. As he twisted it he felt when the blade severed several blood vessels and the main artery. The dying yautja managed to telescope his spear straight under his ribs nearly cleaving his opponents heart in two, Thwei-grat'ka staggered back from the shock and just stared in surprise as the light faded from the eyes of his last opponent.

The yautja had just managed to evade the fast human female. But was caught with a back fist from her instead. He responded with a punch to her side. Stealing the breath from her body.

"You missed you pitiful _Ooman_." He growled and grunted in surprise as she showed him the blade and he saw it was covered in blood, he looked down and saw it was his blood! She had nearly gutted him!

"Have I? Or have I just scored first _Thwei_?" she mocked hoping to end the fight quickly before she collapsed from blood loss by making him careless. She got her wish as he roared in fury and charged, unsheathing his wristblades. As she tried to dodge aside her leg finally gave out and she stumbled from loss of blood. As she straightened out to meet his rush she gasped and grunted in pained surprise as she felt the blades slide in her stomach and were yanked out. She stumbled back with an arm to her middle and clenched shredded muscles to keep her insides where they belonged, she saw her mate standing there with a spear angled upward through his body and for a moment she thought he had died. At that moment she was prepared to meet Guan-paya at his side, when she saw his hands move to grip the shaft. Her eyes snapped back to the yautja in front of her as he rattled and raised his arm for the death stroke. In that moment her vision turned crystal clear and time seemed to stop, she saw herself as she suddenly swiped the blade across his throat. She cut through muscled flesh and carving deep into bone and as he clutched his throat, she then dropped the skinning knife and with the same arm, she thrust her Ki'cte-pa blades through the gash she made earlier into his body then extended them to shred his heart. As death seized his body and he toppled to the ground, so did she only to see her mate stagger to her as her eyes slid shut.

"And I remember no more." She finished looking to her mate.

"After removing the spear," He took up the story. "I made my way to her side and once I saw the damage done to her body, I knew she needed the abilities of a healing chamber. And I knew that if I wished for my mate to stay by my side I had to get her there immediately. I managed to gently carry her to the medi-center in my clan's territory shouting at her, commanding her to not give up her life to _Guan-paya_. Threatening _Guan-paya _himself to release her from his summons or I would follow**.** By the time I staggered there she was covered in my _Thwei_ as well as the little bit of her own she had left in her body. I put her into the nearest chamber and watched as it slid closed. I then contacted the _Ge'tah_ and claimed the heads of my two kills and the head of my mates kill in her behalf. And instructed them to bring our remaining trophies of the six _Tr'ef-zraks_. Then I allowed the physician to put me in a chamber, but only after I checked that she still breathed and would remain in this world. I awakened three days later but due to her _Ooman_ biology she awakened a _Dre'eks_ later. Once she was proclaimed fit I took her to our dwelling and made an examination of my own. You know how we males are when our mates are injured." He chuckled to Cro'dei-tha who laughed as well knowing full well what he meant. While Elizabeth blushed crimson.

Then about a week later she was ill nothing she ate stayed within her. This lasted for a another week then as I came back from a sparring session I was called to the medi-center. When I arrived I found the clan's High Elderess, my mate and the physician deep in discussion." He shook his head at his foolishness.

"At first I thought something was wrong, then the High Elderess looked to me and had me explain the events of our hunt of the _Tr'ef-zraks_. As I explained how at the end my mate was covered in my _Thwei_ she turned to the physician who showed her the records. The high Elderess motioned for the physician to tell me the reason for summoning me. But unable to speak she just activated the records of my mate's examination and I watched in shock as it showed three heat signatures within her. Imagine my surprise when I saw that she was with pups." He chuckled for a moment. "I had resigned myself to having my mate and never having offspring of our own though I had plenty from other mates. But it seemed that _Paya_ had blessed us for surviving his _Mei'hswei_ _Guan-paya's_ attempt to have us at his side." He finished with a sigh then looked at Cro'dei-tha seriously.

"Honored Huntress, The attack was from the sons of _Guan-thwei_. The one who delivered your first offspring and cousin into the hands of _Guan-paya_. I believe the attack was a message designed to tell you he is not done with your family line." He finished as he looked to Cro'dei-tha, who had gone as quiet as her name.

"Please make yourselves comfortable here, I will not be back this night. I will see you in the morning shortly after dawn of the second sun. I need to hunt this night." She said as she rose from her seat they followed suit. After she secured the egg she left them in her home turned toward the Dto. Later that night any yautja that passed the Dto could hear her shrieks of rages and vows of vengeance which could be heard all the way to the High Elderess' dwelling.

**_YEAR SEVEN_**

Soon the months were passing faster and faster and Cro'dei-tha hardly dared leave her dwelling. Until the one day while out walking she encountered her friends.

"Ah _Eli'silb-e'th_, _Thwei-grat'ka_! The time draws near, when he moves the egg topples over, from the moment the suns set to the moment the suns rise he moves constantly. I have changed my sleeping hours to watch over it to be sure he does not damage himself as he moves about inside the egg. I've taken to resting on the bed with the egg and sleeping while the suns ride high in the sky." She hissed her words as she fought a yawn.

"Really you sleep in the day?" Elizabeth asked and grimaced as one the babies moved again and her abdomen bulged to the side as they settled into position.

"Your stomach looks just like the egg when it moves!" Cro'dei-tha clicked with humor.

"This is not funny. _Cro'dei-tha_." Elizabeth growled with frustration then rounds on her mate. "This is all your fault if you had not listen to your genitals and insisted on pleasures I wouldn't be like this. Once they are out you will not get any pleasures from me unless I demand them of you, understand?" she shrieked at Thwei-grat'ka who choked back laughter and looked down knowing that it was she who usually insisted on the pleasures. And he enjoyed it more when she dictated the how, the when and the length of time she wanted them. Cro'dei-tha gave a clicking chortle of laughter, as she watched her friend berate her mate. "Are you laughing at me? Am I funny? Do I make you laugh? Am I here to amuse you?" Elizabeth snarled in rage at Cro'dei-tha.

"My pardon honored huntress, no I am not laughing at you and you do not amuse me." Cro'dei-tha tried to say seriously, but it was ruined by the fact that she was laughing out loud. "Come inside huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ the stress is not good for you or the offspring pups. Come see the egg it'll help you relax." Cro'dei-tha clicked soothingly as she led her guests back to her dwelling. Once inside she had them sit while she went to get the egg. As she brought it out to them she heard a surprised hiss and a gasp from her friends.

"By _Paya_ I didn't think it would be that big" rattled Thwei-grat'ka as his eyes rounded out.

"My goodness it has rounded out in size. May, I touch it?" Elizabeth asked tentatively as she winced from nagging back-pain.

"Would you like to?" Cro'dei-tha asked in return as she carefully placed the egg in her friend's outstretched arms.

It's so heavy, one would think that it was completely solid and not hollow with a child inside." She murmured as she began to relax and the pheromones did there job of pacifying its caretaker. Suddenly she moaned and sat up straight while clutching the egg to herself.

"Um _Thwei-grat'ka_? I think it's time, those aches I've been having, weren't regular aches these are birthing pains." She grimaced as the pain became worse. She quickly handed the egg back to its true caretaker and awkwardly stood and began to pace. As the pains became even worse it was decided to take her to the medi-center physician. Cro'dei-tha refused to leave the egg behind. Over the next few hours Elizabeth went into full labor. Any yautja that passed by the medi-center could hear the huntress screaming at the top of her lungs.

"_Thwei-grat'ka_ should you ever have an amorous thought and approach me with your malehood… aaahhh" she screamed and gasped for breath as she pushed. "uncovered by a loincloth I shhaaallllll… arghhh" she screamed and the physician soothed and encouraged her continue pushing while _Thwei-grat'ka_ winced at the decibel of his mates voice and the grip she had on his muscular forearm. "You are doing well honored huntress the pup will be," the physician began

"Oh silence you, just, you remove these pups from my body." Elizabeth snarled in desperation, cutting the physician off.

"And you dear mate I swear by _Paya_ I shall cut it off and display it on my trophy wwaaallll." She screamed as she gave another tremendous push and felt a painful movement as her first pup entered the world. The first child fully appeared to be a yautja pup. The second child was a perfect blend of ooman and yautja. And the last child looked completely ooman.

Meanwhile in the next room Cro'dei-tha had placed the egg on a bed when the egg began to bulge suddenly she could only smile in a sadistic glee at the threats her comrade heaped upon her mate. As she heard the first pup was birthed the egg began to rock violently. As the second pup was born the egg developed rents and tears in the leathery shell. And by the time the last pup had been born the egg had burst open when a miniature clawed hand ripped at the edge of a tear and completely ruptured the shell from the inside and suddenly the tear turned into a large hole in the shell as the little child wriggled itself out of it's seven year womb.

"Congratulations honored hunter _Thwei-grat'ka_ and huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ you have three healthy female pups." Cro'dei-tha heard as the physician announced and the assistant approached her and the wet shimmering hybrid

"If you'll allow I will just inform the physician and have her examine the pup and return him to you." The assistant asked and received a nod of acceptance from Cro'dei-tha. Moments later the assistant returned with a bundled wriggling hybrid

"Congratulations to you as well honored huntress the pup is a healthy male _Ooman_ and _Paya-deTjau'ke_ hybrid." The second physician informed Cro'dei-tha, who had been clicking and warbling encouragement to the child as he struggled to escape the warm wrapping turned prison.

"Why did he emerge from the egg so soon? There were six _Dre'eks_ left." She asked as she looked from the strange pup in her arms to the physician and then walked to her friend to see if she was alright, knowing from experience that female yautja birthing their pups is a harrowing experience and suspected it was more so for an female ooman to birth yautja pups.

"I had forgotten, in the translations. His sire said that sometimes the early hatching of a _Paya-deTjau'ke_ egg or sometimes even the births of pups by _Ooman_ females somehow influences the other _Paya-deTjau'ke_ eggs to hatch as well." Elizabeth answered wearily having heard the question. "Had I realized that I was having birth pains I would not have risked coming for a visit, I could have put the pup in danger of hatching too early." Elizabeth said as she held her two of her pups and her mate held her third one. Cro'dei-tha looked down when she felt movement in her arms she saw the pup opening and closing his mouth while turning his face into her chest.

"What is he doing?" she asked aloud, but when she looked up she saw that her friend was dealing with her two pups in her arms that were also performing the same motions. She watched as Elizabeth exposed her two mammary glands and let the pups attach themselves to them. Then she looked up.

"Oh dear it seems you do have a problem that only I can fix. He's ooman enough to need to be breastfed, I was unsure if _Paya-deTjau'ke_ breastfed their offspring but had hoped not but it seems I was mistaken. He's rooting around at your chest because he's hungry _Cro'dei-tha_. My mate informed me how _Yautja_ females are not like _Ooman_ females and do not have the little glands that produce milk for pups due to them being birthed old enough to eat mush. Give me a minute and I'll feed him and hopefully he will grow out of the need to breastfeed soon, because you are going to have to live with me and my mate until your child is old enough to eat mush." She said with smile as she felt one of her daughters finish then she reached for the pup in her friend's arms, as her mate took his second daughter into his broad arms.

To Be Continued… in A New Hunter: New Surprises.

Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are **_constructive_**, of course.

And remember, **"Payas leitjin-de . . . Hma'mi-de"**.

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	4. New Surprises

A NEW HUNTER:

NEW SURPRISES

By Legair

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own the Predators, Aliens or Gargoyles concepts. I'm just borrowing them but the characters herein are mine. Nor am I receiving monetary gains of any kind. Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are constructive, of course. With that said, please read and enjoy.

(Quick Author's Note) Hey Dragonfiz, thanks for the reviews I'm glad that someone's reading and is interested in the story, I'll try to not dissappoint. And my thanks to YautjaTigress11 for adding my story to your Fav.'s list. And to my original readers I know I missed my 2nd update for Dec. but life interferes. But I'll try to update at least once a month at best. Now on with the story... enjoy!

_**NEW SURPRISES**_

Ever since I could talk Honored Huntress Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de, would never let me call her _'Bearer'_. She told me to always address her as either Honored Huntress, Honored Cro'dei-tha or Huntress Cro'dei-tha. It was not until some years later, after I had warranted a minor punishment and reminder about breaking the rules that she allowed me to call her _Bearer_. But only when it was within the walls of her dwelling. . . .

"Little one I have told you many times to never call me _Bearer_." She snarled after backhanding me to the floor. "Now go practice your forms. And by _Paya_ stay out of trouble." She rattles as she turned back to her room.

"Yes _Bearer_." I mumbled still smarting from the blow that two years ago had left me stunned and on the floor.

"What did you say?" she snarled glancing over her shoulder.

"Yes Honored Huntress." I answered loudly correcting my choice of words. I would do anything for my bearer. But how could I tell her that to me calling her by any of the titles she assigned for my use was the same as calling her _'Bearer'_. So I continued to accept my routine smacks as a price to pay for my inability to obey in this one matter. I walked to the room she had given me and grabbed the special training spear and went through the swinging forms making sure they were correct. I was in the middle of my fifth form when my bearer's friend entered.

"Little one? I would like to talk to you" Elizabeth said as she entered the little hybrid's room and saw him swinging the training spear. She watched as he just stared at her as he tilted his head before putting his spear in the corner.

I could not believe that this honored huntress would want to speak to me, that for a moment I just stared at her before putting my practice spear in it's place.

"Yes Honored Huntress?" I asked as she came to my bed and sat down leaving me to stand with my back to the door.

"I want to talk to you about why you continue to provoke the anger of Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_, by calling her _Bearer_. Can you tell me why?" Elizabeth asked as she eyed the young pup with a mind of his older counterparts. She suspected what his answer would be but she wanted Cro'dei-tha, who had snuck to the doorway and was listening, to hear his reason for his continued disrespect.

I hesitated before deciding to answer. "I try to obey I really do, but to me in my heart and mind calling her Honored _Cro'dei-tha_, Honored Huntress, or Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_ is the same as calling her _Bearer_." She listened to me say. Never suspecting that I was aware that the topic of the discussion was at the doorway.

"And I bet it's easier to say because it's shorter right?" she asked him with a smile.

"No it's just the same to me. The length makes no difference." I corrected her before twitching my ears in Cro'dei-tha's direction behind me.

"How long have you known I was there little one?" Cro'dei-tha asked as she came and stood close, looking down at me.

"Since the Honored Huntress came to my room, Honored Huntress." I answered her meekly.

"Fine you were correct again _Eli'silb-e'th_." Cro'dei-tha rattled shaking her head slowly.

"His hearing is that acute?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"Yes he could hear someone activating _Ki'cti-pa_ blades outside of the dwelling while he is inside." She answered proudly then looked down to her adopted pup. "Very well little one, here is a new rule that I expect you to obey at all times. Or your punishment will be most severe." She sighed as she crouched to his level. "From now on you may only address me as _Bearer_ when we are inside this home, everywhere else you must show me the proper respect by calling me Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_. Am I understood?" she clicked and stopped the smile that nearly formed at the look of bliss on his face.

"Yes _Bea_… er, honored _Cro'dei-tha_." I corrected myself with a growling cough trying not to break the rules already by calling her Bearer when there was someone else with us.

"It's alright Honored Huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ is family of sorts and you can call me _Bearer_ in front of her." She corrected him softly ruffling his dreadlocks. "Now take your two daggers and go outside to the beginning of the _Dto _and play near the dwelling. And if you hear something remember what I told you." She added as she stood and lightly cuffed him on the back of his head as she sent him outside.

For the next few days the little hybrid's days were bliss. Not once had he received the customary smack he was used to when he called Cro'dei-tha Bearer. Then one day he made a discovery. He had just been sent out to play when he nearly collided with a familiar yautja.

"Forgive me Honored Hunter. I was sent out to play." I clicked respectfully, to the large yautja who stood before me accompanied with three little ones. But when I took a closer look at them I noticed that the smallest looked alot like Honored Huntress Eli'silb-e'th. I was so startled that I let out a hissing rattle of surprise and took a step closer to get a hint of her scent and a better look only to be cuffed in the back of the head by the largest of the three, received a rattle of aggression from the middle female and a hiss from the ooman looking female. While scrambling backward I heard the rattling laugh of the tall yautja.

"Tell me little one is Honored _Eli'silb-e'th_ inside with Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_?" asked the yautja I remembered was called Thwei-grat'ka.

"Yes Honored _Thwei-grat'ka _she is inside." I answered respectfully, unable to take my eyes off the little girl that I realized was like me. But she was a hybrid of ooman and yautja. While staring from a safe distance I noticed very light markings as if coming from under her skin that matched those of Thwei-grat'ka. In fact I realized, all three young females had similar markings as he did. I ran inside to tell my bearer that she was about to get four visiters. I burst into the home and nearly slammed into the legs of Cro'dei-tha who had been standing a few feet from the door.

"Little one I have told you many times not to dash about like a flying _Zabin_." Cro'dei-tha growled as she watched her son stop. Looking around and seeing only honored huntress Eli'silb-e'th he saw it was safe to answer.

"Yes _Bearer_, but there are visitors coming. Clan leader _Thwei-grat'ka_ and three young females are coming to visit you and honored huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_" I clicked in excitement. "And one of them doesn't look like the other _Yautja_, she looks like the honored huntress. Why is that _Bearer_? Why does she look like the honored huntress, yet has honored _Thwei-grat'ka's _marks? Why does she not have mandibles? Is she like me? Why doesn't she look…" I continued chittering excitedly not stopping for breath.

"_Ki'cte,_ you make more noise than _Tr'ef-zraks _in their mating urge." She hissed at him cutting off his excited questions. "Now come here." She rattled as she sat down and watched him approach. Next to her sat her amused friend who was trying not to burst out laughing from the scene that was similar to the ones played out several times in her own home between her pups and herself or her mate. "_Eli'silb-e'th _either go outside and laugh as you meet your mate or sit here and wipe the amusement from your face. I'm going to instruct him about things he needs to know and understand." Cro'dei-tha regarded her friend irritably. As her friend composed herself she turned to her son. "Now the four you saw are the Clan leader and mate to Honored Huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ and the three little ones are their offspring. Now I know you understand that it is usually impossible for _Oomans_ and _Yautjas _to have offspring together but this is a special situation. They were able to have offspring because they survived an attack by a trio of honorless _Yautja_ called _Ve'nde-thwei_." She told him and watched as his eyes widened and whip to Eli'silb-e'th and back to her. "Now I want you to behave yourself they are very special they are the only offspring born of _Ooman_ and _Yautja_. Do not stare at them it is rude and disrespectful. Treat them with respect a female deserves." She told him and stared at him to make sure he understood.

"Yes Honored _Cro'dei-tha_. I'll behave." I chittered formally to show that I understood the seriousness of the situation.

"Good now go back outside and go play and always stay alert. A little later I'll call back and you can meet them." she said as she shooed him away. But before he could turn and dash away again, he heard her rattle. "Before you go tell me why a warrior should always stay alert." She asked as he was about to run off.

"Because an alert warrior is a longer lived warrior." I hissed smartly, then dashed off. As I arrived at the door it swooshed open and I stopped in my tracks and allowed the group to enter before dashing off again to the edge of the trees. The day had started out fine, I even found out that my bearer's friends had survived an attack by the horrible ve'nde-thwei. Then it was ruined by a passing yautja and his offpring.

"Sire look. It's a deformed _Ooman_ dressed like us. Is it _Eta_ or _'Aseigan_? May I kill it?" I heard the pup that was a little taller than myself ask excitedly. I watched the offspring's sire look around to see if there was a yautja around that would claim me. Seeing none he motioned to his young.

"No sane _Yautja_ would have a deformed _Ooman_ like that in it's dwelling, _Eta_ or not. It's probably an escaped _Ooman _from a _Ve'nde-thwei _clan. Kill the abomination if you can." I heard the sire hiss, as I watched the youth come toward me.

"What are you doing here abomination?" Snarled the yautja youth that I was able to tell just by scent that he was nearing his growth spurt. I noticed that the youth had pulled out a small hunting blade similar to my own. _'Never look for trouble but finish any fight you get involved in!' _my bearer's words echoed in my mind and I sidestepped the youth's lunge. As the youth sped past I smashed him in the back of his head sending him sprawling to the ground. As the youth got up the older yautja could be heard laughing in the background and encouraging his pup to do better.

"If you cannot kill a lowly deformed _Ooman _then you will never be a warrior like the others of our clan. Remember what I've taught you. Never rush at your opponent, study their moves, read the body then move before they can. Once you can do that you can strike swift and true. And always be alert." Rattled the older yautja as he laughed at his son's performance. I watched as the youth stood and snarled a challenge.

"Come ugly _Ooman _come fight me." He taunted trying to save a little of his nonexistant honor. I slowly approached crouching down into the ready position leaving my own knives in their sheathes.

Meanwhile inside Cro'dei-tha's dwelling not far from the trees and the dueling youths and the observing yautja sire. The three girls were being introduced to Cro'dei-tha.

"Little one's this is your _Bearer's_ friend the Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de_. Go and greet her, she is the guardian _Bearer _of the young one you saw outside." Thwei-grat'ka told them and watched as they approached the towering huntress.

"Greeting's Honored _Cro'dei-tha_!" clicked the ooman girl meekly.

"Greeting's Huntress!" the full yautja female declared almost defiantly with a curt nod of her head, eliciting a small hiss from her sisters for being so bold.

"It is an honor to meet you Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de_!" rattled the middle girl who was an even blend of yautja and ooman. In the hopes that showing proper respect would not get them punished by their sire and bearer for their sister's slight show of defiance and disrespect. The greeting's told her the characters of each of the young females.

"Greeting's young ones how has the day been for each of you?" she asked trying to completely assess their characters.

"It was fine." Answered the ooman girl first.

"Yes fine, until we came upon that male." Hissed the bold one of their group glaring at her sister.

"Yes the day was fine he was just a little curious." Asserted the middle one trying to placate them both. As she grabbed them both and walked them back to their bearer's side.

"Go on little ones, go outside and play." Elizabeth encouraged her daughters. They nodded as they went and as soon as they got outside the little ooman girl pointed

"Look the young male we saw and another are fighting." She said to her sisters.

"Quickly go get the elders, they will stop this." Suggested the peacemaker of the group.

"Why? Let them fight, let them define their dominance amongst themselves." Protested the other.

"The _Yautja _youth has a blade in a bare hand fight. Are you so blind as to not realize that the elder over there has set his pup against Honored _Cro'dei-tha's_ male pup?" Hissed the middle girl.

"What?!" the aggressive girl nearly shrieked then looked closely at the youths and saw the blade and then looked at the yautja her mei'hswei saw and saw him smiling.

"That honorless _Bisor_. How dare he allow his youth to duel with a blade when the opponent uses none." She hissed in a rage that was barely contained in her small body.

"Go get the elders I'll go and make sure that this fight is stopped before he kills Huntress _Cro'dei-tha's _pup." And she charged to the fight just out of sight of the observing yautja elder, leaving her sisters to go get the elders. The two girls raced back to the dwelling shouting as loud as they could getting the attention of the adults inside.

"_Sire_, _Bearer_, Honored Huntress, come quick there's a fight and one uses a knife." They shouted as loud as the air in their lungs would allow. Before they got near the door it wooshed open as Cro'dei-tha charged outside, Followed by the girls parents.

"Where are they? She shouted as she scanned the area.

"By the tree area. Our _Mei'hswei _is going to try and stop them, please hurry." they cried pointing. As the they rushed in the direction pointed out Elizabeth and Thwei-grat'ka both grabbed a girl in their arms and rushed after Cro'dei-tha. They were just in time to see and hear the third girl shouting.

Finally close enough to be seen she shouted out loud. But her shout only had half the effect she wanted it only stopped the little hybrid. The other youth taking advantage swung his arm cutting a stripe across his chest, eliciting a shriek of outrage from the hybrid. He turned back to the offending youth and roared with his eyes flaring with heat more intense than the customary white glow provided and preceded to pound on the yuatja youth ignoring his cries for mercy and the blood running from his mandibles. The moment a pair of strong hands grabbed his arms from behind stopping his attack, he turned his head and sank his fangs into the arm hard enough to draw blood and wrenched a growling rattle from the adult yautja all the while thrashing his body in an attempt to get loose of his new attacker.

"Release him. He is mine." Growled Cro'dei-tha as she reached them and confronted the yautja. The strange yautja released the powerful youth who had suddenly gone still in his arms but kept emitting a growl that was too deep for his small frame.

"Fine. But keep your _Eta_ or _'Aseigan_ tethered. Next time it might not be another youth who tries to kill him but an adult _Yautja_ instead." He snarled back just before she punched him in the face flooring him.

"This youth is no ones Eta. He is my pup." She snarled flaring her mandibles. "And you will show me the proper honor and respect, male, or next time I will not stop at reducing your honor and pride but will relieve you of your life, as well." she hissed staring at him before crouching to even eye level with the little hybrid. "Let me see the wound." She demanded harshly turning him around by his arms and noticing the bruising already forming from where the yautja had grabbed him before.

"Honored Huntress it…" I tried to speak past my aching jaws.

"Remember what I told you about weakness." She hissed softly cutting him off

"Yes Honored _Cro'dei-tha_. But it's okay, I'm fine." I said as casually as I could with my deformed mouth as if that was what I intended to say from the beginning.

"Good then stand beside me for a moment then we will go home and see about tending your wound." She said as she thought furiously trying to figure out what they could do as she eyed the fallen yautja pick himself and his youth from the floor.

"My apologies honored _Cro'dei-tha_ I did not realize that this young. . . pup was the _Ooman_ and _Paya-deTjau'ke _offspring that I heard you claimed as your own." The yautja stepped near with his head bowed as he tried to apologize. "If I had known or taken time to inquire first, I would never have set my offspring against yours and this would never have happened." He finished as he looked at them.

"Who are you hunter?" Cro'dei-tha hissed lightly while exerting a light pressure against the little hybird's chest silencing the rumbling she felt beginning indicating a growl was seconds away from coming out his mouth.

"Hello Clan leader _Pra'kt-ni_. Had I known you would be coming, I would have come with you and we could have avoided all this." Thwei-grat'ka rattled with a sigh.

"I had not decided to come until this little one insisted on seeing the offspring of a _Ooman_ and a _Paya-deTjau'ke_." He admitted then sank down to a knee. "My apologies little one, I did not mean to set harm upon you. You are a rare being in the whole of the universe. And you fought with honor when my offspring came to kill you. I noticed that during the entire fight you did not once draw your blades. Otherwise I know that I would have a dead offspring instead of a beaten one. And for that I thank you for giving me that opportunity to mold him into a better warrior and giving me time to correct my own mistakes in my thinking." He told the little hybrid looking him in the eyes. "Perhaps I can return at the rising of the second sun and we can talk honored huntress _Cro'dei-tha_ and perhaps I can view the statue of your little one's _Sire_ and _Bearer_." He said as he looked to Cro'dei-tha and stood. "I am also aware that the payment for such an opportunity is a sparring match with you. One I look forward to, I have been told that you were trained by an offspring of my great grandsire's female _Mei'hswei_." He spoke with pride.

"Then the sparring match is accepted and we can talk. Right now I must take him to the clan's medi-center physician to attend his wound its bone deep and for an update on his biology. Good day honored clan leader _Pra'kt-ni._" she answered with a nod of her head and walked off herding the little hybrid ahead of her as her friends exchanged farewells with the clan leader and followed after her. The moment they entered the dwelling she turned to the others motioning that they should be silent and turned back to the hybrid.

"Let me see your eyes?" she asked softly knowing that something was wrong.

"It burns. My eyes and _Thwei_ burn as well. They will not go off like before." I told her having figured how to work my mouth as I blinked and let her see the bright light in them. She gave a hissing rattle in surprise at the heat images, they normally glowed at a different intensity when I was enraged or when she cheated and cloaked herself as I had to hunt her out during our training.

"Little one do your eyes burn like they did the first time they glowed and you told me of that cloaked _Ven'de-thwei_?" she asked thinking quickly.

"Yes Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_. They do, and I remember that inside I felt warm. I was so angry and afraid." I admitted as my body trembled in her arms.

"Then you must relax little one, you must calm the _Kre'ta_ within. Your _'Jir'kna_ is up, that has to be why this is happening to you. If you calm yourself the light will go off and it will stop burning. And then we can deal with why your _Thwei_ burns." She assured him looking at the blood and touching it. It was very hot and seemed to bubble as it dribbled out of his wound.

"_Cro'dei-tha _was his _Thwei _truly hot?" Thwei-grat'ka rattled curiously as he tilted his head in question.

"Yes it had the same kind of heat that the plasma casters have after just being fired." Cro'dei-tha answered as she rubbed her fingers to sooth away the receding heat.

"Perhaps this is just part of his heritage as being half _Paya-deTjau'ke_." Murmured Elizabeth.

"Perhaps but now we have to go to my clan's medi-center physician, his eyes have never turned to that heat intensity before." She sighed as she grabbed her stitching equipment.

"_Eli'silb-e'th_ you see in a spectrum we _Yautja_ cannot. What color were they?" she asked as she carefully stitched the bleeding wound.

"Like the color of the second sun honored _Cro'dei-tha_. They were like the sun in color." the little girl emboldened by Cro'dei-tha praise answered then gasped looking up at her Bearer as she realized she answered in her stead.

"It's okay little one. The color is called gold." She whispered to her daughter with a smile.

"She's right they were gold in color." She clarified then addressed the hybrid.

"What color were they last time little one? Were they white like parts of the sky?" she asked curiously as something sparked in her memory.

"Yes honored Huntress" I answered distractedly watching as my bearer stitch up the wound.

"I remember something from the translation but I'll have to view them again before I'm sure." Elizabeth murmured "But I think he's more like his _Sire_ than we first thought." she continued as she eyed the pup thoughtfully.

That may be true yet until we know for sure we must keep careful details of his life" Cro'dei-tha said as she finished stitching the young hybrids wound and stood facing Elizabeth. "_Jaj_." She said as she walked past to the front door. They passed several yautja that were astounded by the heat emanating from the little hybrid. They finally arrived at the medi-center where they find the physician hard at work.

"Greeting's honored Cro'dei-tha wha…" The Medic started then stoped as she took a look at the little hybrid. "what has happened?" she asked eyeing the still bleeding wound and the heat signature

"Tell her young one." Cro'dei-tha ordered

"I was challenged by the offspring of honored clan leader Pr'kt-ni. He attacked me with his training blade. When the eldest of honored _Thwei-grat'ka_ and honored _Eli'sil-be'th_ trio of younglings called a stop to our _Dtai'kai'-dte_, I allowed my guard to drop and my challenger cut me. In my 'Jir'kna I attacked him in return." I said as my body still gave a tremble.

"When the little ones arrived at my dwelling they were shouting about the _Dtai'kai'-dte_. I charged to the clearing and saw as this little one attacked the other offspring and continued to beat him until the sire intervened by grabbing this little one by the arms as you can see the bruises and he in return bit into the sires arm." Cro'dei-tha finished then motioned for the hybrid to open his mouth. "As you can see his teeth have changed. And his heat signature has increased along with the light tensity from his eyes and his _Thwei_ has the same heat of a just fired plasma caster."

"I see and he has as of yet not been able to return to normal such as when he voluntarily flares his eyes?" Pra'chek asked as she examined his eyes then his teeth then she turned for a metalllic looking tongue depresser to scoop up some blood that had dribbled from the stitched wound and scraped it into a vial. "Hmm, yes it does have tremendous heat." She clicked to herself as she wiped some from his chest with her fingers when a line of blood trailed from his wound. "Our main concern is to have him return to normal. Come little one lay yourself on this table while I run a body scan." she said indicating a table in the center of the room. Soon the young hybrid was lying prone as a red light flashed to life from a panel on the ceiling then traveled as a straight line from his feet to his head then reversed itself.

"Jaj." Pra'chek told the group as she pulled up some old images of the hybrid's body and compared them to the new ones just made. "Ah, here is the cause. Just as I had surmised," She pointed to the first image "...this is him while he was at rest, this one," she pointed to the center image "...shows when he first flared his eyes. Look at this, his body mass increased to double it's normal size. And the chemical coming from this gland here, see how it secretes to the heart and joins the blood there spreading throughout the body. I believe it to be adrenaline for a fight or flight response." She told them then stopped the image turning to the last energy screen. "Now this, this new one shows a different symptom notice the same gland is in work but look as the adrenaline goes straight to another set of glands these four different patches are now active before going into his heart this new chemical added to the adrenilin is forcing his heart to beat three times faster and stronger than is normal. Before they were dormant, I believe these glands around the heart are what is causing his _Thwei _to burn hot, it is also the cause of the heat level in his eyes and the change in his teeth structure. Look at his musculature mass it has doubled twice over from his normal state. This is, I surmise the ultimate fight response if flight is not an option. And right now he needs to relax he seems to not know how to reverse the effects instinctually. Perhaps I should administer a sedative."

Suddenly the little ooman girl came to him and yanked on his unlocked hair. And just as suddenly he stopped trembling in rage and his glowing eyes returned to normal just so quickly, that he gasped in shock as the heat all but vanished.

"Well, that was very well done little one" Cro'dei-tha praised the little girl who emitted a pleased click and scampered back to her sire. "Then everything is normal. It will eventually be something he can control." Cro'dei-tha said with less apprehension in her voice.

"Yes, in time he will be able to call up this strength with ease. In fact it might be a sign that he is nearing the stage where he needs official training to master this state of being." Pra'chek said with a gurgling click and a twitch of her lower mandibles as she nodded her head.

"In fact I think he should sleep, he needs to relax or this may do irreperable damage." Elizabeth said as she came into the room. "I found something," she told them eyeing the little hybrid. "if we may speak in private?" after the physcian administered the sedative and they watched as it took effect. She then motioned for them to follow her into the room

"The symptom is called 'Jir'kna of the Dragon." Elizabeth told them. "I just finished reviewing the recording of the last words of his sire. This state is a dangerous symptom in very select _Paya-deTjau'ke_. There were two forms of _Paya-deTjau'ke_ the normal branch could only flare their eyes to the white spectrum," she pointed to the center image of the body scans. This was the norm for the species. With very select breeding they were able to create specialized warriors, these new breed of _Paya-deTjau'ke_ were able to attain this second state and the gift of true flight. They were their species elite and most powerful warriors. There is something else, we already know that his sire claims to have lived for several hundreds of earth rotations. As his sire stated that the select breeding had another added effect it granted these select warriors extremely long life, similar to the _Yautja_. Had I not seen it for myself I would not have believed the little one had gained this attribute. It is possible he will live the length of a _Yautja _generation. But without scanning a live _Paya-deTjau'ke _of this sub-species it will be difficult to tell exactly how long we can expect him to live. Yet that is besides the point even though he seems to be younger and is obviuosly smaller that the other yautja of his same age rotation he needs the rigours of official training to help him channel this 'Jir'kna of the Dragon. As honored _Pra'chek_ already deduced it is their ultimate fight response. But in a full _Paya-deTjau'ke_ this state can be dangerous without the proper training. _Paya-deTjau'ke_ in this state become uncontrollable they will wade into their enemies without regard for their own health or safety destroying their enemies until everything in their path is killed or they are killed." She told them grimly.

"Like _Kainde Amedha_." Pra'chek murmured softly

"Yes very like. On earth in ancients times there were a groups of _Oomans _whose very best warriors were believed to entered this 'Jir'kna and charged into battle. They were known to be called berserkers. They were male _Ooman_ who wore no armor except animal hide, they charged their enemies like wild beasts slaughtering their opponents without regard for their wounds until they died or were victorious."

"Honored _Cro'dei-tha_, the honored huntress' statements support what was scanned it would be best that he receive the official training now instead of waiting for another ten more rotations where he will be the same height physically as the other unblooded's receiving their official training now." Pra'chek urged Cro'dei-tha.

"Yes but I can not simply present him to the clan leader for official instruction it must be proven that he is physically able to keep up with the other training _S'yuit-de_." Cro'dei-tha said clicking evenly.

"Have a _Jehdin/Jehdin _between the groups best and the little one. If the clan leader is anything like my honored mate when teaching a new group of unbloodeds, he'll appreciate action to words." Elizabeth answered with the solution, as both Cro'dei-tha and Pra'chek pulled their mandibles close to their faces in a grin.

"Excellent."Cro'dei-tha chirped. "Now what was that word you spoke after 'Jir'kna, Dr'egn?" she asked lifting a delicate looking mandible and the opposite eyebrow.

"Dragon, it was a predatory creature of legend that had functional wings similar to the _Paya-deTjau'ke K'za-rah_, was roughly the size of a _Kainde Amedha_queen, though it moved about on all four limbs. And also had a prehensile tail and was spiked and horned at various places. They also laid eggs and hatched their offspring after a period of incubation. The closest creature I could find on the prey files was this." Elizabeth explained as best she could while pulling up the imager.

"Ah, the _Dah'res'trx_." Muttered Thwei-grat'ka, "A very ferocious and intelligent prey species."

"Interesting." Cro'dei-tha gave a silent murmuring trill.

Days later Cro'dei-tha and the young hybrid made their way to the dwelling of Setg'in-kre't.

"Greeting's Honored Hunter _Setg'in-kre't_." she called as she met him by his dwelling. She could tell that he'd gotten a lttle older and by the new scarring's that he'd had seen plenty of battle's and survived.

"Greeting's Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de _what bring's you to my dwelling?" He asked tilting his head as he looks at both her and the little hybrid pup by her side.

"Greetings Honored Hunter." The little hybrid said from her side. Setg'in-kre't tilted his head in acknowledgement but didn't respond.

"I have heard and seen much of your honor, Huntress _Cro'dei-tha_." He told her letting her know that he had been keeping up with the news of her status.

"So this is the pup that you claimed that has hatched from the egg." He said more than asked.

"Stay here I'll return." he told them with a sigh as he turned into his home then returned within a minute and motined for them to walk with him.

"I would know if you are the still the same honorable male that won my favor the first time honored _Setg'in-kre't_." Cro'dei-tha told him as they walked together.

"No honored _Cro'dei-tha_, I've gotten older and wiser in the past twenty-five years. But to answer the unspoken question yes I still desire you though when I win your favor you will have to re-establish your dominance and authority among my other mates." He told her truthfully.

"That is how it should always be." She snorted back with a trill.

"So what has the little one learned in the years?" Setg'in-kre't asked curiously.

"Come I know that the Clan leader has a class of youths in training. I wish you to see what this little one has learned." She motioned in the direction of the training hall. When they arrived at the training hall they were met by the clan leader and the second-in-command.

"Greeting's honored Clan leader _Pra'et'an_. Greeting's honored clan second _Tjau'ke_." Clicked Cro'dei-tha and Setg'in-kre't and the little hybrid who stood straight in silent awe of the two yautja adults.

"Greetings honored huntress and honored hunter." They answered back not acknowledging the little hybrid. Even though he had been warned by Cro'dei-tha not to expect anything and he seeing Pra'et'an flick a mandible slightly in his direction the hybrid still felt bad that he wasn't acknowledged.

"So Honored _Cro'dei-tha _what matters have brought you to the training hall? You do not have any classes today do you? Or have you come to assist us in beating skills into this group of Unblooded?" asked Pra'et'an while Tjau'ke laughed beside him.

"Neither Honored Clan leader" Cro'dei-tha chuckled along. "I've come to show honored _Setg'in-kre't _exactly what this little one has learned." She said casually as she motioned to the pup beside her. The hybrid stood straighter when they all looked at him trying to project a look of calm when inside his heart began to beat a faster rythym.

"Ah, then come we have a training class just beginning." Invited the clan leader. As they walked the little hybrid could smell the musk of the group of yuatja youth's not that far from their growthspurts. "Well here they are." motioned Pra'et'an to the group of youths grappling in warm up exercises.

"Alright you sacks of usless flesh pay attention." shouted Tjau'ke as he stomped into the room center.

"Are you sure of this?" murmured Pra'et'an as they walked in behind the clan second

"Of course clan leader I want to see how well he has learned from my instruction." She answered, "And perhaps this will encourage the others to give their best in their efforts." and added as an afterthought.

"Very well go ahead do as you will." He motioned to the group of students.

"Tjau'ke the ones of this group that are the strongest, the most aggressive, the oldest and the most talented have them step forward.

"You four step forward this is the Honored Huntress _Cro'dei-thaBr'hak'ta-de _the most dominant and desirable female in the clan, second to none but the Clan Elderess. Show her the respect she deserves or she will deal out your punishment. And believe in this as she is an honored female of the second highest rank her punishments will be worse than anything we can think of. And should _Paya _in his mercy grant you the strength to survive her then we will deal out your punishments." Tjau'ke snarled at the group.

"Yes Honored Clan Second." The youths clicked loudly in unison.

"Very well you four this is a sparring session. Now come to the plaform circle the rest of you arrange yourselves around the platform. I have one that believes he is more yautja and more male than any of you." Cro'dei-tha goaded the youths before walking to the hybrid that watched with wide eyes. "Come here little one." she called and he scrambled to her side facing her

"Yes Honored Huntress Cro'dei-tha. " he said bowing his head in respect.

"You will face these four opponents one after another with a five minute break in between each. Remember what I have taught you and fight with honor." She reminded him before leading him to the circled arena. "Know this as well, these four believe that you are not yautja that you are not worthy of being alive on this planet." She goaded him as well knowing that what she told him would bring out the very best in his performance. And smiled when she heard the telling subvocal rumble of rage in his chest. Tjau'ke looked to his clan leader who nodded his head in acknowledgement to continue.

"Alright listen up this is a match that will end when one can no longer continue, is knocked out of the circle or has called for _H'chak_." He said as he stood towering over the five youths. Decide which of these four you will face first." He demanded from the young hybrid.

"Yes honored Clan second." he responded then looked over his four opponents. "This one honored clan second." He motioned to the tall youth.

"Very well you will face this one." Tjau'ke said as he motioned for the others to stand beside him at the edge of the platform. "Begin." shouted Cro'dei-tha as soon as they were clear. As the youths traded blows the adults and the youths could see their form and the movements of their attacks and defenses. And in the span of three minutes the match was over. The young hybrid broke through the sloppy defense of the older youth slamming a fist in the bottom mandible of his jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor half out the edge of the circle where he tried to get up again but could'nt coordinate his limbs to do so.

"Stop!" Tjau'ke called out when he saw the young hybrid approach to finish the match in the most brutal fashion possible. He walked over to the downed youth picked him up by his shoulder looking into his dazed eyes. "His eyes are unfocused he can no longer continue." He called out letting the youth fall back to the floor and walked over to the other three awaiting their turn. After five minutes he had the hybrid pick his next opponent. This time the match lasted for about five minutes the young hybrid had picked the most talented of the group. But after both a knee and shoulder were popped out of joint, effectively reducing the youths abilty to move, defend and fight by half. The young hybrid proceeded to pummel the youth into submission, giving him no respite to pop them back into place. Unable to withstand the young hybrids tenacity and skill the youth was forced to call for mercy. And so it continued with the third and fourth matches neither one lasting five minutes and the hybrid claimed victory over them all. The hybrid stood still in the center of the platform as Cro'dei-tha approached.

"Come little one and pay attention." She said as she walked back to the clan leader, her former mate and the clan second. "Honored clan leader and clan second how many Years have they?" She asked motioning to the youths that were going through their forms with sneaking glances at the four beaten youths.

"Most of them are about to enter their first growths the four he faced had already passed it." Answered Tjau'ke.

"Then it is as I thought he learns at a faster rate then most of us do, he is only about twenty-five planetary rotations. And he has already learned and nearly mastered what they are still learning." She told them without looking at the hybrid beside her or the youths behind her. "I would like for him to be in your training group honored clan leader perhaps it will goad them into exerting themselves to learn better if they see a non _Yautja _that is both younger and performing better then themselves." She made her bid to get the young hybrid into the training group. The clan leader and the clan second looked to one another as if silently communicating. At the slight nod from the clan leader Tjau'ke turned back to Cro'dei-tha and the young hybrid.

"Very well the pup will be in this training group." he motioned before taking his leave of the group and dissmissing the class but not before announcing that the young hybrid would be joining them from now on. As Tjau'ke, Setg'in-kre't, the clan leader, Cro'dei-tha and the young hybrid watched the yautja youths exit the training room.

"Now little one remember this they will be your training mates but no _Yautja_ ever fully trusts another _Yautja_so think and judge very carefully before attempting a companion or a friend as honored _Eli'silb-e'th_ calls them. Such companions are very rare indeed. The best most of us have are friendly competitors unless they are _Mei'hswei_." Cro'dei-tha told the hybrid that had watched as the youths left.

"Honored clan second if you could see that this one goes to the huntress _Eli'silb-e'th _I believe that she and the physician are waiting for him." she asked Tjau'ke and briefly watched as he nodded and took her pup with him then turned to the other Yautja in the room. "Honored Setg'in-kre't I would talk to you later I will meet you outside your dwelling." She told him. And barely waited for him to nod his own head before he left. The moment they were alone Pra'et'an turned to Cro'dei-tha

"What game do you play little _Mei'hswei_?" He growled as finally he could react as he had wanted to since she instigated her little performance. "You should know that, that pup is not ready for our training." He let out a low snarl.

"I play no game and I know otherwise _Mei'hswei_. I do know and believe that he is ready for this training I have watched him since he has hatched. From the moment he could eye track he has watched me training. I saw understanding in his eyes then and when he was old enough to move about on his own I have watched him mimicking me. In effect he has been learning and training for much longer and has learned more in his short time of true understanding then most _Yautja_ twice his age rotations." She told him knowing that this was a squabble she was determined to win.

"He is too young for this regimen it will kill him, is that what you want?" he asked grimly

"Our sire made sure all of us of his line saw how the _Ooman_ species regards the concept of honor and treats others of difference from themselves. I made a vow to see him turned into an honorable warrior. And perhaps one day he will want to return and complete his _Sire's_ and _Dam's_ quest. To save the rest of his _Sire's_ species. How much honor would it bring our clan and our personal line, that we can say one of another kind raised and trained by us as a _Yautja _survived with honor?" She continued not giving him a chance to gather his toughts for a counter. "Besides the only ones that value honor as much as we do are the _Paya-deTjau'ke_, and the odd _Oomans_ such as Honored Huntress _Eli'silb-e'th_ who has submerged herself into our culture and constantly tries to understand our way of thinking. Now should we be responsible for allowing a species that values honor and the way of a true warrior above all else to die away without trying to prevent it. A species that makes a more honorable hunt than _Oomans_ for those preparing for the _Kainde Amedha Chiva_." She added having made her case in the only way she knew would get through to her brother.

"Yes what you say is true but as you said Huntress _Eli'sil-be'th _still struggles to understand our way of thinking. For all her effort she will never understand us. And even if what you say is true this hybrid pup will never survive our training." He countered. Cro'dei-tha stared at him for a moment then tried a different tactic.

"I believe that this pup is the key to helping us to preserve the _Paya-deTjau'ke _species. For in the future any youngblood _Yautja_ with aspirations of becoming a full blooded hunter or huntress needs to face the _Paya-deTjau'ke _the way our _Greatsire_ told us his _Sire _had done. That if they can survive and return with a trophy skull of a _Paya-deTjau'ke_ then that will show they are ready for the training for the _Kainde Amedha Chiva_. While _Oomans_ have their uses, in the preparation of the _Kainde Amedha Chiva_, with their technology. They are still too weak of an opponent to give us Yautja a true battle such as the _Paya-deTjau'ke_ and the _Kainde Amedha_ can. And not even the _Paya-deTjau'ke's_ can match the _Kainde Amedha_ in their ruthless ferocity or mindless fury but they come closest." She finished.

"I agree with her Clan Leader _Pra'et'an." _announced the Clan's High Elderess Thei-deGuan who had entered while the two siblings held their discussion. Even they had not heard her enter the training room.

"Honored High Elderess." they both chanted as they bent to one knee.

"Oh please my _Mei'hswei_ we are the only ones here let us not stand on formality." She answered grabbing both by their shoulder and gesturing for them to rise.

"What do you mean, you agree with her, _Mei'hswei_. That hybrid pup for all his strength and obvious skill is not old enough or ready enough for our training. The training the male youths will be put through is as different for the females training as the training methods of our teachers are from most of the teachers of this time." Pra'et'an asked bewildered. "I have already received your permission to train them as I and our _Mei'hswei _and our _Sire_ were trained. If anyone thought the training methods of the current teachers were harsh wait until I bring back the training methods from the time of the teachers of our _Sire_. It was of savagry and brutality they will fight night and day for survival against each other and the planet, with nothing but what _Paya_ blessed them with. I located the original training planet that our _Sire_ and _Bearer_ learned on." He pronounced pleased to have thought of something they knew nothing about. Then frowned at the pleased look on his sister's faces as they looked at him. "What?" he asked suspiciously with a very suppressed growl.

"I am just as pleased that you have achieved the things you have because you need to know this." Answered Thei-deGuan as she gave him the recorded reading's of the hybrid pup. Thoroughly enjoying overcoming her stubborn brother as she and her sister usually did in their youth. "The spike's of energy readings is the increase in musculature strength, internal heat and brain activity during the twenty-five years he has been alive the spikes were during moment of stress, training, and fights. This is the recent recording from the sparring session that took place here." Cro'dei-tha continued as she watched her brother flip through the medical readings. "As you can see the spikes are becoming more frequent. Your discovery is the answer we have been looking for it will temper and refine his control." Continued Thei-deGuan then she pointed out to the readings that spiked more than twice the length of the others. "This particular spike is something that has developed during a fight in which he was cut by his opponent that was goaded by his _Sire_ into trying to kill the young hybrid. The pup himself refused to use his own knife to equal the fight. At the moment of the wound his energy reading's jumped nearly four times that of his normal reading's and a third of the regular energy spikes. Honored _Eli'silb-e'th_ and the physician with the translation's of his _Sire's _last words believe that he inherited this anomolous trait from his _Sire's _line." Cro'dei-tha pointed out. "The youth that produced such reactions was beaten to the point where his _Sire_ had to have him placed in a healing chamber. And we are all aware that those are strictly for adult _Yautja_." Thei-deGuan finished.

"Fine it looks like you honorable females get your way once again." Pra'et'an growled with a chuckle as he remembered how his two female siblings used to unite against him and his other male siblings when they were young.

"Of course we got our way, not because we are honorable females." Retorted Cro'dei-tha, "Simply because we are females." Thei-deGuan finished with a chuckle. All three broke down into chuckles remembering the good days of their youth.

**_Two months later_**

"Well physician why has she been ill?" Demanded Pra'et'an as he waited for the physician to finish checking on Cro'dei-tha after she had collapsed during a training session with the females that wanted to be come huntresses.

"Honored Clan leader with all respects this matter cannot be discussed with you. I must speak with _Setg'in-kre't_. Please summon him." The physician said quietly

"Eh! I thought that might have been the reason." Clicked Pra'et'an then he continued just before he turned away to leave. "_Setg'in-kre't_ will be here before the hour is out."

To Be Continued… in A New Hunter: The Growing Years.

Reviews, suggestions are welcome, even complaints and criticisms are acceptable if they are **_constructive_**, of course.

And remember, **"Payas leitjin-de . . . Hma'mi-de"**.


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